Kingstowne Library and Workhouse Exhibits ~ Potomac Artworks

7.01.2009

Kingstowne Library and Workhouse Exhibits

Lights! Ambiance! Library?

It's very exciting to have a wall, a lush, pretty, soft wall of my own! I populate this stretch real estate at the Kingstowne Library from July 1-31. Included are pastels and oils ranging in size from 5x7 to 11x14. My bio is informative, educating the world about the beauty of en plein air painting.

Come by and see. It's in Alexandria at the corner of Beulah and Telegraph, made possible through my affiliation with Kingstowne Area Artists Association. Sincere thanks to my son for his assistance in hanging.

Also, check out the new exhibit in W-16 at the Workhouse which begins today as well. The opening reception will be July 19 from 2-4 and I am the upstairs docent that day from 2:30-5. Come visit me! This exhibit runs through August 15; I have an oil and a pastel on display.

1 comment:

ariel freeman said...: Congrats on your exhibit Bonnie!; July 2, 2009 at 11:12 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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7.01.2009