Workhouse Opening ~ Potomac Artworks

4.17.2009

Workhouse Opening

Join us for a Wine and Cheese Reception at the Workhouse Arts Center featuring pieces from the Workhouse Artists Associates (I have three pieces in this show) and the Workhouse Artists Guild.

Visit the Workhouse Gallery in W-16 from 2-4pm on Sunday, April 19. Also take some time to visit the Workhouse Artists Studios from noon until 5pm.

1 comment:

Sarah said...: Hi Bonnie,

I saw your posting for your event, and wanted to let you know about a new online forum for artists that I think can help you gain greater exposure: PutItOn.com. The site allows artists from all over the world to connect, display their portfolios, and sell their work (with no commission taken). If you create a profile, there is even a place to post your events. The site gives you a gigabyte of space to showcase your portfolio, allows you to stream audio and video works, lets you create live personal broadcasts for your followers, and translates any writing into ten different languages. If you could take the time to visit the site, let your readers know about it, and even sign up yourself it would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!; April 23, 2009 at 3:59 AM

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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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4.17.2009