Sounds of Wolf Trap ~ Potomac Artworks

9.14.2008

Sounds of Wolf Trap

Lorrie Herman is a sweetheart and she has an uncanny ability to carve extra hours out of the day. Because of her, I joined Northern Virginia Artists League, a group with a plein air emphasis for which she serves as President. My first jaunt out with them was to the International Children's Festival at Wolf Trap, per their invitation by the Arts Council of Fairfax County. Although I tried a different location first, I settled into the coolness behind the main meadow next to the gurgling stream.

This painting was almost finished on site, then I worked on further definition in my studio.

Pastel on Wallis, 5x7
SOLD

1 comment:

Bonnie said...: Received this kind comment by email:

Really like the water scenes... I could feel the water's peace and strength at the same time.; September 27, 2008 at 4:21 PM

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The Charm of en Plein Air

Much of my work is done en plein air, French for "in the open air." People often associate it with the Impressionists, but the move to paint outside preceded them by a number of decades. The trend to appreciate landscapes as a genre at all was new for the time.

Several characteristics contribute to the distinctive beauty of en plein air painting. They are generally smaller in size in order to be able to capture a scene in a single sitting. Because of the time limit and environmental factors such as the sun and shadows moving, they often lack extensive details and might appear slightly fuzzy or unfinished. Lastly, they tend to have a freshness and spontaneity which makes them impossible to compare to traditional and methodological studio work. That said, my own studio work tends toward the same feel as en plein air, which then identifies my overall style: softness with an edge.

My aim when painting en plein air is for alla prima paintings, which roughly translates for me as "what happens outside, stays outside." It adds another level of difficulty to the work.

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9.14.2008