Quinns Hotsprings Plein Air

By lspadminPaintings
Tim Lee and his wife Mandi at the Quinns Hotsprings
Let me just start by saying… Wow… What an amazing place. Easily Mandi’s and my home away from home in Paradice Montana about 4 hours from our home. We first visited here in 2021 and were stunned by the size of our room in the lodge, walking around all day in a robe anywhere you went, the delightful staff, and some new gorgeous hot springs/pools that make nature a key part of their design. They are a vibrant contrast in comparison to the older pools you can see off to the left as you head to the gift shop and bar buildings.
This room is truly as big as it looks and it feels very welcoming. Honestly, it makes you question if you want to leave it for the majority of your trip! Once you walk in you have to remind yourself of the amenities.
The opposite wall
Tim & Mandi’s room in the Lodge at Quinns Hotsprings
The Quinns hot springs pool deck in Paradise, Montana

I brought my plein air (yes that is how it is spelled) gear with me remembering being on the porch in the past taking pictures of this beautiful view. I overpacked as always and really got some good education on what I actually needed to bring vs what I brought. I dream of a day when I can fit everything I need just in my box and a separate tripod, but I still have a large bag to carry my paper towel and other little “just-in-case” gear and liquids in.

Tim Lee painting with his Meeden plein air box from the hotel porch

The view is just stunning, one step out our big sliding doors shows a river, bugs glinting from the morning sun as they fly around many of them being harmless little knats and stink bugs that I actually found quite beautiful being a bit of a bug enthusiast and constantly appreciating my macro lens on my Samsung S20+ when it comes to bugs.

Tim Lee painting from the porch of his room in the lodge.

My plein air box is a Meeden box. It’s really sturdy and has room for a bunch of stuff, two removable separators, and a wet box that can hold two 9×12 canvas panels back to back. I personally keep a paper pallet in my box and do most of my color mixing on a pallet knife. I don’t find myself using my pallet to store my mixed paints because I work with very small amounts of paint at a time and I find myself preferring to simply remix the color I need over checking my pallet. Don’t ask me why, I know it takes longer.

The work in progress oil painting by Tim Lee on a 9X12 canvas on board

I took plenty of pictures so I can keep working on this little plein air at home. I personally don’t think I will be making this a full size painting but I do anticipate that this 9×12 will be available for sale soon. If your curious about it or one of my other paintings feel free to email me at legacystudioproductions@gmail.com

By the way, yes that little jar does say Milk of Magnesia on it, and yes there is a story behind that. But… That is a story, for another time. God Bless!