PSV at USGS, Reston ~ Potomac Artworks

5.05.2014

PSV at USGS, Reston

The Pastel Society of Virginia is thrilled to install an exhibit of nearly 70 pieces by a dozen artists at the USGS in Reston. "Waterscapes and Water Escapes" features artwork from pastelists residing all over the Commonwealth, from Tidewater to Central to Shenandoah to Northern Virginia and depicts water in every form. The USGS gallery space is open weekdays to the public, available for view from May 3-May 31.

Look for my depiction of mist in "Morning Drive,"

clouds in a coastal sky in "Beach Cottages at Sunset, Cape May,"

and a reservoir lake in "Fountainhead."

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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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5.05.2014