That's Amare

I recently ran into a patron of mine who said she would love to take one of my workshops someday. I asked her if she had been painting and she said not in years. She was too shy to sign up for a workshop because she doubted her skill level…wouldn’t measure up…thus the not-painting thing. 

I get it. Lack of consistency in your painting practice, or “low mileage” as I like to call it, makes you feel as if you don’t even know where to start much less how to finish. Makes those blank canvases look quite scary. The fact is, we all doubt ourselves no matter what our skill level is. Full disclosure, as I write this I am slightly procrastinating. I have a gallery show opening in a couple of months. Lots of blank canvases to fill. I’ll conquer the fear, really. I just need a minute to gather myself and stop the voices…but I digress.

As I see it, there are 2 choices in life: fear or love. 

Let’s talk about the word love.

The word “Amateur”, which in our society has come to mean someone who is just a hobbyist and basically not as good as the professionals, really means “lover”. This French word is derived from the Latin word Amare… “to love”. So, if you are an amateur, that is a good thing! I am an amateur too because I LOVE painting and creating. I love it so much that the love eventually kicks the fear to the curb.

The more we can look at our passions with wonder, curiosity, and openness, the better we can learn and grow. Ego, shmeego, right? We can accept that our deficiencies are something to move past, like a delightful bar to reach instead of a mean ol’ barrier stopping us. 

I invite you to lean into love. It’s more fun. 

The above image is one of my favorite plein air paintings, completed on location in 2015. I was painting near two VERY accomplished landscape painters and that always makes me nervous. But I just decided to check the ego at the door and be in the moment. I still recall this day as one of my most favorites. :-)

Think Like Turtle, Paint Like Rabbit

I recently had a thought provoking conversation with some art buddies about teaching. One friend who just finished a workshop said she had conducted a “paint along” with her students, that is to say they painted the same subject standing side by side. I had been thinking about that very exercise just that morning as I sat down to map out my 2020 mentoring program. I thought it would be fun and informative to stand together, painting the same thing, so that the students can see my process and immediately react to it on their own canvases. I think that would be a superb way to keep everyone in the moment and having fun.

That said, the friend went on to say her students conveyed they appreciate a subject being selected for them so they don’t have to wander around wondering what to paint. That is a valid point! That initial selection of subject and designing of the painting can be overwhelming, and it can be exponentially harder when painting outdoors. Combine that with low “mileage” and the whole thing can seem like a big chore. 

But it got me wondering…how can we expect people to connect with our paintings if we do not take the time to connect with them ourselves? 

I realize that is pretty deep. We want to have fun out there….what’s all this connecting stuff, and for that matter when is cocktail hour? Seriously though, I am on a mission to help folks find joy in every minute of the painting process, including a thoughtful start. Easily said, but HOW do you do that? I have developed steps to do so in my own process, and am finding it helps remove the “fear factor” that many have when painting outside (and in the studio!). In a way, it means slowing down so that you can speed up. 

I touch on these steps in my latest video, “A Painter’s Journey”, and in my workshops I have had fun teaching these steps and watching lightbulbs go off. A little time investment can pay off big time. You will become more in sync and familiar with your subject, and that will translate into confidence with paint. You will feel more at ease and joyful, and in my humble opinion, that shines through in the finished product. 

“Think like turtle, paint like rabbit.” ~Sergei Bongart

"Cat Nap" wins Fine Art Connoisseur Award of Excellence at the American Impressionist Society 20th Annual National Juried Exhibition

I am very excited and honored to have participated in the milestone AIS 20th Annual National Juried Exhibition which featured 150 juried paintings from some of the top American Impressionist artists working today. Thanks to AIS for continuing to promote excellence in impressionist painting and bringing together artists from all over the country.

The exhibition was held at the Salmagundi Club, New York NY
September 19 - October 2, 2019
Judge of Awards: AIS Master Kevin Macpherson

Plein Air painters of the Southeast Paint Out & Sale!

What could be more exciting than 36 highly acclaimed artists painting on the streets and pastures of Leiper’s Fork?

We are so pleased to be returning to Leiper’s Creek Gallery for our Paint Out and famous ‘On the Porch’ Sale!

On Friday and Saturday, come and experience PAPSE, Plein Air Painters of the SouthEast, creating paintings en' plein air (in open air). You can wander from easel to easel as we paint on locations surrounding the gallery and experience the delight watching artists create paintings from direct observation. During this time, from 10am-5pm, our paintings will be for sale on the porch. They will be framed and ready to go but you only have these two days to pick your favorite!

This is a wonderful opportunity to acquire paintings from the most celebrated and distinguished painters of the southeast. Please make plans to join us on October 18th & 19th!

Plein Air South 2020!

I am pleased and excited to be invited back as a faculty member of this wonderful event! Hope to see you there!

UNITING PAINTERS ACROSS THE SOUTH

Plein Air organizations and painting groups across the South are coming together to host the fourth "Plein Air South" regional gathering, March 30-April 3, 2020 in Apalachicola, Florida. The planning committee is hard at work scheduling 5 days of presentations, demonstrations, instruction, vendor exhibition, and of course, painting outdoors! 

Many organizations, artists, and vendors are working together to make this event happen. We are thankful to Franklin's Promise Coalition and the Forgotten Coast Cultural Coalition for their commitment to continue this annual gathering of the Southeastern plein air community. Also thanks to JFM Enterprises, EdgePro Gear, Michael Harding Paints and Rosemary Brushes for their continued commitment to help make our event great for everyone!

Life Is a Highway

I’ve been playing with Acrylic paint recently and loving it. I’ve dabbled with water soluble oils, but something about the fast drying time of Acrylics is lending to an energy I have been searching for but thus far have not attained. There also seems to be a color shift for me in terms of brighter chroma. I have no idea why! Perhaps because of the mere fact that I need to get this stuff on the canvas before it dries, and therefore I am not overthinking or over-working. Liberating!

The painting in its current stage is a bit more abstract than I normally paint, but in my opinion is not a complete departure from my current oil painting style. I may refine this a bit more but my goal is to not “identify” every object, but rather let the most recognizable shapes sing. 

To begin, I used various non-brush implements to get the basic shapes on the canvas, then used Richeson Grey Matter Egberts to refine some areas (all pictured below). In the first stage of color, I used Lucas and Basics Acrylics, then for the next stage I brought out the Utrecht Acrylics. I find the latter to be quite buttery and closer to the feel of oil paint than most Acrylics. 

I must emphasize that I am not zig-zagging on a crazy new path. There is a part of me that needs structure and process to keep me grounded in the academic necessities of solid painting. Thus far I have adhered to that concept. But with recent inspiration and encouragement from certain wise fellow artists, I know I’d like to keep exploring this path. I will certainly benefit from jumping out of my lane a little bit and seeing what else is on the highway. 

Doing so will only strengthen my current repertoire.

In a nutshell, I am continually pushing myself to give less and less information with more impact. I think a little mystery is a good thing and engages the viewer on a higher level. Exploration and “letting go” are helping me deepen that mystery. 

“Initially the painter must reveal the world to himself and then communicate that understanding to others.” ~Ken Howard 

Found In Translation

Just back from a painting trip in Asheville, NC. It had been a while since I painted outside because of the heat. It was still hot there, but boy-o-boy it felt good to get outside!

This was the first painting I did on a muggy morning, one of those times when the sun goes in…and out…and in…and out…and then in. Initially, I had been excited about the shadows on the chicken coop but alas, they went away. Such changing variables can really have you chasing your tail!

My strategy for painting in such conditions is to take a mental snapshot of what kind of light attracted me to the scene in the first place, and then proceed to create art instead of trying to copy what I see. I take liberties with composition and push color when it lends to a more interpretive expression of what I am seeing. I also use brushstrokes in varying thickness and direction to create energy and movement in what is otherwise a static scene.

I’ve included pictures of the actual scene in it’s varied light as well as the “finished” painting (a sketch has charm because of it’s truth, right?). Notice there are no chickens in the photo. They were behind the fence on the other side of the coop…but I was too short to see over it so I had to improvise!

This particular morning got me thinking that reality is just a starting point in impressionist painting. I suggest spending the majority of your painting time tapping into your creativity and imagination rather than trying to copy and perfect. That’s when the fun begins, in my humble opinion. 

“We must not imitate the externals of nature with so much fidelity that the picture fails to evoke that wonderful teasing recurrence of emotion that marks the contemplation of a work of art”~John F. Carlson

Exploration

I once read a list of characteristics attributed to artists, and one was, “easily bored”. I felt that was untrue as I have PLENTY to do in the studio if not in other parts of life. Then I gave it more thought and for me, “bored” can translate to, “dislike of feeling stagnant or repetitive”. Ok yes, I get bored.

So I try to do a little exploring and this is what I came up with recently. My continued goal is to give less and less information with greater impact. I realize this is a lifelong journey, but little changes lead to larger shifts eventually.

Inspired by 2 recent workshops with Larry Moore and David Shevlino, I blocked this one in with a Bondo Scraper using acrylics. No brushes…just scooped up paint and applied color shapes. The next layer is oil, applied with 2 inch gesso brushes and palette knife. The underlying bold acrylic color shapes led me to stick with more chromatic oil color, which is great because sometimes I can get too neutral. I like where this is going and not sure what’s next. Stay tuned!

“Do not let it look as if you reasoned too much…”–Charles Hawthorne

PleinAir Podcast Episode 115: Anne Blair Brown on Painting Composition and More

Recently I had the distinct pleasure of being interviewed by Eric Rhoads, publisher of PleinAir Magazine, Fine Art Connoisseur magazine, and Artists On Art magazine. You can check out the interview here: https://www.outdoorpainter.com/pleinair-podcast-anne-blair-brown-painting-composition/