8/9/2020 8:54:02 AM
SNOW! A welcome cry up North when the first shy flakes appear...
But absolutely electrifying here in Louisiana as an every-ten-year-phenomenon.
That was the cry that catapulted me out of bed on the morning of December 8, 2017.
As I parted the blinds, a thick white blanket greeted my unbelieving eyes...
Within the hour I was out there with my painting paraphernalia freezing and dabbing at my canvas.
The fact that I was shivering and the paint hardening, forced me to focus so every stroke went home fast. I find that when one makes quick decisions and doesn't overthink, the painting turns out loser, and more spontaneous.
The result, in my opinion, one of the best plein-air paintings I've done: My House in the Snow.
8/7/2020 5:33:13 AM
My art teacher once said, "Painting is not a playground but a battleground". I cheered.
I've painted all my life, yet I still approach a blank canvas with excitement and trepidation.
And then there is plein-air painting, which is French for "painting outdoors". A whole different animal.
Yes, O, yes–every bit of what you've learned in studio will come to your rescue, but you will sweat...
You will perspire in the sun, and race against the light.
Challenge: observing accurately, making faster decisions and surer/fewer brush strokes.
Reward: Capturing values, shades and hues, which a camera cancels. Absorbing lots of fresh air and vitamin D.
So here's an example of a plein air painting I did early in the Summer of 2020 facing a gorgeous Sunflower field at Burden Center, Baton Rouge.
"Little House in the Prairie" was accomplished in under two hours.
