Why?

Welcome to my journey back into Plein Air painting. I've done this a few times before and each time I have done it, I have learned so much. But first, why seemed like a good place to start.

I love Claude Monet's work! And each time that I have been fortunate enough to see his work in person, I have been captivated by his capturing of light and atomsphere. I stand for hours studying his brushwork, pondering endless questions--why did he choose to paint that that way? Why did he choose that color note? How did he see the way he did? What was his journey to "here"? And of course when disecting the painting, is that color note in the shadow family or light family? Is it warmer or cooler than the note next to it? And of course, there's always the question of "Why can't I do that?"

Of course this doesn't always happen with Monet's work--you can throw in Cezane, Sisley, Pissaro, Renior....the list goes on. I studied with or taken lessons from a number of local artists, but none was as challenging as entering the world of plein air painting. For opening this world to me I thank two painters. One is an artist living here in Cincinnati--Chuck Marshall and the other is an internationally known artist that I am fortunate enough to be painting with in June. I'm also Chairperson of a committee to bring his "Reflections On A Pond" to the Middletown Arts Center. The internationally known artist is Kevin Macpherson. Kevin is an inspiration and his books are never far from my side. Talking with him is also a joy--he is so supportive and patient. I hope he has a lot of patience in June!!

So that is the one of the whys. Why can't I do that? Well--I can. I will. And this journal is about the struggles, the successes and the journey along the rough, rocky and challenging road of painting plein air. If you have ever tried it you know that it is not easy. The brain almost gets overwhelmed with all you must concentrate on, but yet keep it simple. You almost panic because it all seems to move so fast. The frustration sets in and the next thing you know you are winging your canvas panel a 100 yards away from you!!

This journal will be full of questions that I'm asking myself. I don't promise answers, but feel free to chime in with your experiences, suggestions and successes.
When I workout what I consider a successful answer to any of the questions, I'll post them. Hopefully together we can grow in our artistic abilities. After all, we all want to continue to grow and improve our skills and that is the other reason why I'm doing this. It will improve my skills and knowledge. The good news is, I have a new mentor, Kevin, who will help me along the way. Thanks Kevin! I look forward to June!!