Golden Gate Avenue at Dusk

Golden Gate Avenue at Dusk

original oil painting 12x12 SOLD

Plein Air Painting and Beyond

An Exhibit of Eight California Painters

Castilleja School Art Gallery, Palo Alto

I was invited to participate in a show at Castilleja School.  It's an all girls, private school in Palo Alto. The show is titled "Plein Air Painting and Beyond, An Exhibit of Eight California Painters."

The art teacher asked us to write something about our approach to plein air painting.  Here's part of my statement:

Plein Air Painting and Beyond

Plein air painting relies largely on spontaneity and intuitive reaction. An artist must paint quickly outdoors - usually in two hours from start to finish - to capture the light in a scene. There is no better way to learn to see and mix colors than by studying them directly in nature. By standing on a street corner in San Francisco, painting outdoors in natural light and struggling to match colors, the job of mixing colors in the studio for other works becomes infinitely easier. My plein air paintings are generally sketches that can be used as references for future studio compositions.

The painting above was completed in my studio from a photo and a quick study on location.