Yesterday afternoon I decided to paint a study of the west facade of the National Cathedral. As I was painting, a pair of newlyweds drove up and told me they'd just been married there! They were delighted to hear that my wife and I were married there too! I took their photograph and gave them my card.
As for the painting itself, I had time only for an impressionistic sketch, so I simplified things and painted loosely. The exercise gave me new appreciation for Monet's Rouen Cathedral series. It is hard enough to draw all that architecture; it's even harder when the shadows change every 5 minutes, as they do with all those nooks and crannies. I hope to return to this spot with a larger canvas and the time to do a more careful rendering. But I think this study is a good start.
Geoff Watson, "Study of the Washington National Cathedral," oil on panel, 11" x 14," 2018.