I have been quite frustrated with my “Plein Air” attempts lately. I would like to be able to abstract what I see and am finding this very difficult. I have been painting what I see for many years now and my realistic paintings just don’t excite me, they are very ordinary and repetitive. They don’t say much about anything, they are just a faithful recording of what is in my line of vision.
I decided to change my medium and take my oil paints with me. I left all my small brushes at home, I only took 1 inch and larger (wall brushes) and a few palette knives. If I have small brushes with me, I start to fiddle and put in all the details. I also decided to work with a limited palette. I had a go at painting those Stone Pine trees again. I seemed to get in an abstract mode when I started playing with the paint and experimenting with texture. I don’t think this is really “Plein Air” painting, since I merely breathed in the idea of the trees and then allowed the paint and canvas to take over; still, it is wonderful to be out in the fresh air with my painting buddies. We share a very special kind of friendship and are very supportive and encouraging of each other.
This is an attempt at abstracting from reality, it is still quite realistic but I definitely felt a shift away from complete realism. I am so often seduced into producing a “chocolate box” image when faced with Cape Town’s wonderful scenery!
I decided to change my medium and take my oil paints with me. I left all my small brushes at home, I only took 1 inch and larger (wall brushes) and a few palette knives. If I have small brushes with me, I start to fiddle and put in all the details. I also decided to work with a limited palette. I had a go at painting those Stone Pine trees again. I seemed to get in an abstract mode when I started playing with the paint and experimenting with texture. I don’t think this is really “Plein Air” painting, since I merely breathed in the idea of the trees and then allowed the paint and canvas to take over; still, it is wonderful to be out in the fresh air with my painting buddies. We share a very special kind of friendship and are very supportive and encouraging of each other.
This is an attempt at abstracting from reality, it is still quite realistic but I definitely felt a shift away from complete realism. I am so often seduced into producing a “chocolate box” image when faced with Cape Town’s wonderful scenery!
8 comments:
I love it, the composition, colours, texture. I think you are very talented, you have certainly achieved what you set out to do.
Dianne, this is a wonderful painting, I love the colours and textures. It must be lovely to paint outside, which I feel comes across in this work. You should carry on with the oils. Painting in this way is so fulfilling and actually it does capture the essence of South Africa, not that I've ever been there, only in my dreams! I imagine it to be truly wonderful.
Diane, I also adore this painting. It is fabulous how you have pulled in so many colors to create this lovely composition. While you say you have abstracted a scene from nature, it really comes across as very intuitive to someone who isn't familiar with the original.
Thank you for visiting my transitional portfolio blog today. I want to invite you to join in some of the conversation about art and creativity at my other blog. You can visit it at:
www.kim-creatingspace.blogspot.com
I am grateful you found me, so I could find you, Dianne. I will be exploring more here to be sure.
Thank You!
Dear Dianne:
You are so amazing! Exquisite is how you paint. As you said - you breathed in the scenery and let the painting paint itself. How wonderful. I so envy you the ability to let what you see emerge with your own spirit attached to it. I am still at the stage where I just have to paint what's there. But you are inspiring me to break out and venture forth! Love the texture, the color, the paint!!!! Your paintings touch the center of my being! - Kathy
I really love your work. Glad to have discovered you through Sharon Wright's blog. And congratulations on the new granddaughter.
Wow Di, you certainly are putting another perspective on those trees we see every day, yet fail to look at. Love them!
Really pleased you are getting so much out of your painting "En Plein Air". The Stone Pines are fantastic - you've really captured the essence of the trees with texture and bold brush strokes. Your really getting into "doing your own thing" and it's really working for you!
Your new granddaughter is a real cutie congrats.
Beautiful painting Di!!!
Luv
Carol
Post a Comment