Up From the Cliffs ~ Potomac Artworks

9.16.2010

Up From the Cliffs

Begun under the Occoquan/Rt 123 Bridge, this was started early on an overcast day. The scene looks east from the Occoquan River toward the Potomac River.

Across the way, pinkish, orangish sandstone cliffs called as they peeked out from the lush, dense foliage of Occoquan Regional Park. For a time, the sun opened up on the park's entrance road in the distance, making the area glow. For added interest, the waterline's rich purple striations played on the water. This was such a beautiful scene to paint.

Finding cliffs in Fairfax County, away from Great Falls, was quite unexpected, but a real treat.

Up From the Cliffs
pastel on Pastelbord, watercolor underpainting
9x12

3 comments:

Lynne said...: I love the colors in this painting and the feeling of contentment when viewing it.; September 22, 2010 at 10:55 AM
Bonnie said...: Thank you so much, Lynne. It was really challenging for me to keep the temperature harmonious throughout, but I am glad you see it as successful. It's in the current Workhouse exhibit, if you didn't get to see it in person yet.

Very, very glad to hear from you.; September 22, 2010 at 2:15 PM
Unknown said...: Awesome work!!! Love the colours....; May 9, 2011 at 11:47 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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9.16.2010