Quick Decisions and Focused Intentions: Jericho Plein Air Festival (Online art lesson #66)

Last Saturday 75 artists gathered at the Emile Gruppe Gallery in Jericho, Vermont. By 8:00 they had talked, eaten, caffeinated, and scattered into the nearby fields and town.  At 3:00 pm they returned to frame fresh finished paintings which were hung that evening for a show that opened the next day.*   

Knowing that work must be created, signed, and hung within a few hours will change your game plan.  This added stimulus inspires a clear focus of intention and leads to a state of flow. 

Painting of plein air painters painting – Jericho, Vt  – acrylic 9×12 –  Lillian Kennedy     CLICK to enlarge

Warning: This is not my usual post on relaxing and bonding with nature.

7 TIPS for finishing plein air paintings in one session:

1. There will always be distractions and other worthwhile things that you could be doing.  Even after you have saved the day in your schedule, you will need to stay clear about your focus while you are out working.  Yes, you could be photographing and getting references for future paintings.  Yes, you could be meeting those interesting people.  But you will need to focus on your painting.
2. Don’t second guess your decisions. Ex: Once you’ve made your choice of subject / composition, stay with it.  Don’t rush, but try not to wobble.
3. Predict the way the light will move.  You don’t need a compass.  Look up and note where the sun is.  You can tell even when it’s overcast.  You will be able to determine from the time of day and position of the sun where it will move as we all spin about in space on our lovely planet.
4. Choose a scene that won’t be radically different when the light changes (as it will – you can’t stop that spinning – it’s not personal).  If you want to do a fleeting moment, do a little study or take a photo for later use, but for a sustained concentrated session, try to get stable light.
5. Watch for the little changes and select the best moment to keep.  For example, in the painting above, I knew I would lose the foreground shadow so I put it in early as I wanted it have it in the piece.  As light danced on the near tree trunks, I chose the spots where I wanted it.  There was no one truth about the position of those sunlit areas so they could be choreographed.
6. Keep sizing up the whole painting and noting what areas need work.  Don’t let magic moments go by ( I chose to put in the painters when I saw them across the field as they added so much)  BUT keep letting go of  detail and favor getting back to the weaker areas.  All detail needs to be subordinated to the whole.
7. Match your subject to your abilities and the time allowed.  The painting of the barn was, for me, complex.  I allowed all the time I needed, but having an hour left at the end of the time, I choose the simple subject of sky, field, and distant trees.

8 x 10 acrylic –  Lillian Kennedy   photo: Win Grant

* The show is fantastic.  Everyone worked to their own vision and the variety is delightful.  Emile Gruppe Gallery  Jericho, VT through Aug. 12.