Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Spring Plein Air

It's obvious I've gotten way behind on posting so I'm going to combine the three plein air events in Augusta, Neosho and Cotter. These were done back-to-back-to-back from April 19th to May 4th with no days off and over a thousand miles driven.

We'll start with the Augusta Plein Air Event. It seemed like each day was alternating between sunny and raining but it was mostly cool with Spring about a month behind schedule.

Sunset at Balducci's, 10 x 12, oils

Awaken, 9 x 12, oils. This piece received a 3rd Place in Oils at the awards ceremony.

Methuselah, 11 x 14, oils. This received an Honorable Mention.

Just the Two of Us, 8 x 10, oils. This received an Honorable Mention and also sold.

Next was the Jaeger Festival and Paint Out in Neosho, Missouri. For this two day event the weather was full on summer with brilliant sun and highs in the upper 80's.

Lazy Stream, 8 x 10, oils. SOLD.

Leaving Big Spring, 8 x 10, oils.
 
Hickory Creek Bridge, 9 x 12, oils. Took 3rd Place on awards night.


Finally we have the White River Paint Out in Cotter, Arkansas. The weather took a mean turn with heavy rain and a record low temperature of 32F with even some snowflakes.

Captain of the White River, 9 x 12, oils.
Midnight Fog, 8 x 10, oils. This nocturne from the first night captures the cold front pouring in.
View From Under the Bridge, 8 x 10. This won 1st Place in the Richeson Small Works Competition.

Monday, June 3, 2013

Adding Drama to a Scene

Broad Shoulders, 10 x 20, oil on canvas.
This piece was based on reference photos from a painting trip to the Sawatch Mountains of Central Colorado. It was right after sunrise and I believe the peak is 14'er Mt Shavano but am not certain. I include my reference photo below. In composing and painting this piece, I wanted to go way beyond my reference and instead capture the feeling I had looking at this colossal mountain with the ragged clouds rolling by. I've exaggerated both the height of the mountain and the intensity of color to that effect. I also played with how to handle the tree line until I arrived at a composition that pleased me. Finally, I added the dirt road for perspective, scale and to really emphasize the summit.

Reference photo
 I'm proud to share that this painting has been accepted in the Oil Painters of Americas Salon in Petosky, Michigan this month. It's my first piece to get in an OPA show and hopefully the first of many.