Abstract – Plein Aire Style – Susan’s landscape in the June show at the Torpedo Factory!

 

It’s hard to live in Virginia without being overwhelmed, impressed, maybe even freaked out by all the lush green and yellow tinge to the world at large. Even in the city and neighborhoods, the color of spring is intense. We moved to Virginia in 2011 and the landscape has finally inserted itself into my repertoire of artly pleasures. This painting, which is included in the June Art League Gallery show at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, VA, was painted plein aire style (meaning outdoors) at River Farm not far from where I live.

Painting outdoors is a hugely different experience from painting indoors. Many have tried and hate it, others become obsessed in learning how to do it. I guess the appeal mostly has to do with the light and color of things outdoors, which for some reason is not captured the same way in photos. There is a lot to paint outdoors and too many details, so I find the palette knife to be my tool of choice to help manage the details. It’s hard to get picky with a palette knife.

For readers who know my figurative work, please note that I’m still in love with the figure and I have a bunch of new paintings to post very soon. Landscape painting is my way of having fun after a serious day of painting the figure. The following are a few more color studies from the past month of May 2019.