Roxy Podlogar thought an unexpected rainfall had ruined her plein air painting. Turns out she was wrong.
“Since we retired in 2016, my husband and I have lived full time on our sailboat, Sky Pond,” she says. “Circumnavigating the Pacific Ocean, we’ve logged over 50,000 miles. Currently, we’re sailing in Fiji, where the winter season is May through November. Tall, cumulous clouds illuminate the skies, and the sun’s low angle casts dramatic light and shadows.
“On this morning, we were anchored in Malakati Bay, Yasawa Islands. As the sun rose, I moved quickly to capture the picturesque fishing village tucked into the jungle’s edge at low tide. As I worked, a passing squall pelted us with a burst of warm rain, ruining a perfectly painted cumulous cloud. Only later did I appreciate the mottled effect created by the tropical raindrops that will forever connect me to that moment.”
