After painting for a lifetime, specializing in studio rendered watercolors, the change to oil painting has been very stimulating and rewarding. The paintings included here were painted both in the studio and “en Plein Air” and include images I painted in England, Canada, Italy and Mexico. I've divided them into collections to easily find the subjects and area of interest. I've also included a collection of miniatures that were a real challenge and fun to do. I hope that viewers will receive the same pleasure in seeing my paintings as I did in creating them.
The words "en Plein Air" are French and mean “in the open air”. This style of painting is typically loose brushwork done on-site in oils. They are not meant to be a detailed rendering of the subject. Plein Air Paintings represent a collaboration between the artist and nature. Being forced to “see” light and color before the sun changes is wonderfully challenging. It allows me to share the beauty and simplicity of the scene and capture a sense of being there. This differs greatly from my tighter watercolor paintings. I feel that outdoor painting is vital and enhances all my work as an artist. While strict Plein Air rules are that the painting is to be completed on-site, many of the paintings shown are started in the field and completed upon my return to my studio. I feel that the more I learn the more, I realize this will be a life long learning process.
