Nature—Painting the Natural World
Immersion in the natural world while painting is one of the greatest joys the painting process can provide to an artist. Observation of nature's nuances of light, shadow, and atmosphere, and the interplay of color in these phenomena is essential to my art. Painting the natural world, especially the Vermont landscape, has resulted in a deeper understanding of the elements that interplay and influence how the world around can be translated to canvas. When I travel to new places, with different elemental challenges, I am pushed to experiment and make new discoveries. Travel has become a way for me to take seeing to a new level.
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“Damme in the Distance”
18" x 36"
Oil on Canvas |
The Color Palette
Anyone who has visited an art store may have glimpsed the array of commercially available paint colors. My journey through this world of pigment has had many shifts and a few hairpin turns. On the advice of early mentors I began painting using three colors. Using the primary triad with white develops an intuitive sense for mixing, as virtually any color or hue can be mixed. Plein-air painting becomes simpler with this palette, and color balance is easily achieved. After a period of working with a limited palette I began adding earth colors such as raw sienna, yellow ochre and burnt sienna to the mix. As I became comfortable with new color I began adding hotter pigments to the palette like cadmium red light, cadmium yellow and cobalt blue. I am currently working with handmade paint from Robert Doak and Associates. Doak provides paint in colors not available elsewhere including some lovely blue-greens, sinopia and blue ochre.
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“French Vineyard”
9" x 12"
Oil on Linen Panel
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Mentors
I have been fortunate to work with many wonderful instructors over the years. My introduction to oil painting came in 1998 at the shelburne craft school in Shelburne, Vermont in a class taught by Tad Surgeon whose integrity and skill with oil painting are unrivaled. Traveling to workshops has introduced me to a variety of instructors and students from whom I have learned many valuable lessons. On a trip to the southwest Ann Templeton encouraged me to invite more vibrant colors to my palette. Ken Auster's ability to essentialize complex elements of a composition gave me courage to try compositions I had avoided. I have been fortunate to study with Kevin Macphearson on two occasions. Kevin's handling of paint and color and the energy he is able to transfer from his surroundings to the canvas are inspirational. I have been greatly enriched by opportunities to observe and listen to other artists.
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“Damme”
11" x 14"
Oil on Linen |
France & Belgium
I have traveled to France on more than one occasion to paint the French landscape. The region I have come to love is the Languedoc . This southwest region is known as “La Petite France” because its concentrated area contains nearly every type of geographical feature found in the rest of the country. I have had the pleasure of painting in vineyards as the grapes are harvested, in small towns and villages while daily life unfolds, and along the river Aude which ribbons gracefully through the region.
Painting in Belgium provided an opportunity for me to immerse myself in visually unfamiliar landscapes. I was, at first, daunted by the differences in atmosphere, color palette and subject matter—my eye had become trained to the challenges particular to Vermont 's landscape. Before long, I was seduced by each Belgian day no matter how gray and rainy.
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“Windmill”
9" x 12"
Oil on Canvas Panel |
