1.24.2014

Why Plein Air?

The immediate response to that, of course, is "WHY NOT?" and there are a lot more why nots then there are whys, but let's first define terms.  I've worked a few galleries in my time and have always been relieved when approached by a client who knows what plein air means.  Simply it was a term used about the Impressionists' proclivity to paint "outside" and means "in the fresh air" or painting on site, and that opens up a whole bunch of problems that I'll go into in future entries. 

Plein air, for me, consists of totally immersing yourself in the act of painting - without hesitation, almost without thought - listening/smelling/feeling the environment - sand under your feet/sun on your face/breeze in your hair - and painting with abandon until the session is complete.  I have coordinated the West Hawaii Plein Air Painters for the last six or seven years.  We usually paint on Fridays in the morning because the light is better here coming over the mountain in the morning to our backs (face to the Pacific) and gradually clouding over to a glare around 1p.  The encouragement, then, is to paint from 9a to 12:30p and FINISH THE PAINTING!!! An alla prima experience of the best kind.  That's the philosophy of it, the mechanics and logistics of it are a lot more complicated then that - what to take - what to do without - easel?  and on and on - stay tuned and we'll travel along this path together, I've got a lot to say that I've never said so this should be a good journey for both of us.

Aloha nui loa,
richard


click image for gallery

1.13.2014

CURSES . . . SKOILED AGAIN ! ! !

Two from last night. This first a memory from a squall I noticed late in the afternoon - unusual because it was done on white canvas:

late afternoon squall - 9x6 - plein air skoil


 Bought some big absurdly fat cooking bananas the other day - paint them today - eat them tomorrow!

red band - 9x6 - plein air skoil

Don't forget the BIG SHOW in Hilo - go support an artist or two.


1.11.2014

MaGoon's Skoils

Finally managed to "manage" my time and enthusiasm to produce two fairly quick sketches in oils (skoils) over the course of the West Hawaii Plein Air Painters session yesterday. I like doing the small quick sketches because they give me time to focus on just one aspect of the scene, or the mechanism of painting, and still produce a cohesive painting.  On both of these I used a wedge shaped 1/2" wide flat "Catalyst" brand synthetic - my new best friend and available at the new ARTSHOP - AKAMAI ART SUPPLIES - go visit.

Emphasis here is on transparent water/morning light:
mahai'ula bay - 9x6 - plein air skoil

maui from mahai'ula bay - 9x6 - plein air skoil

From two weeks ago - another WHPAP session at the Old Airport:

little pake hat - 9x6 - plein air skoil





Paint the Wind

Visit the painting at my website here:  Paint the Wind