I AM FREQUENTLY ASKED when a plein-air painting is no longer considered to be a plein-air painting? There are two pieces I recently created at Epcot Center in Florida. Both are loose and more impressionistic than some of my works. But where do you draw the line between a “pure plein-air” painting and one started on location; then finished in the studio? I’ll leave that decision up to you. This first picture is of one painting straight from the easel. Compare it to the next photo for differences. At first, I was going to leave this painting as is, but saw that it had some vital weaknesses. However, as you’ll see, I made minor adjustments. Are they enough to still call this a plein-air painting? It surely cannot be considered to be “alla-prima” because I worked on it in two sessions… Following is the completed piece I finished today....
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In the Pink 12×16, Oil on Linen Panel Ordering Information » THIS IS one of the paintings I submitted as part of the juried 13th Annual Carmel Art Festival in Carmel, CA. It was my first experience participating in this event – a wonderful time. The weather was misty for the mostpart, and the sun only came out a couple of times. This oil painting is probably the fastest, loosest one I’ve ever created, more like a start than a finish. But the weather prevented me from continuing. I actually felt good about this one. It has the life I wanted to convey with sea breezes, pink flowers covering a beach hillside. Nuff said…I was doubtful about framing and submitting, but I fell in love with this once I had to frame it up . I will paint this scene again but in my more usual way…painterly and with...
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Garden Invitation 16×12, Acrylic on Linen Complete Information » Labor of Love 14×18, Acrylic on Linen Complete Information » THESE TWO PAINTINGS were created on location for Gardens for the Cure, a benefit home garden tour for breast cancer. I participated in the benefit last year, and was pleased to be invited back again. This year’s garden was vast with unending possibilities. I have just completed them in the studio. On site the sun moved so quickly through this primarily shady garden that I could not precisely nail down the light direction while painting. There was a great amount of green, yet the scenes were punctuated by flowers and a golf course just beyond the yard.
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After years talking to gallery owners, collectors, teaching / conversing with colleages, and working the Web from building / maintaining my Web gallery, blogs for artists and collectors, it’s finally time to talk about and post my work directly! My objective is to share a bit more about myself as a painter, my work as it is created and perhaps historic moments and influences. As I tweak this blog site I’ll be generating things for you all to see, comment on and hopefully appreciate. Diane
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