The freshness of paintings done on the spot
By Kristin Hoerth
The Golden Hour by Paula B. Holtzclaw
This story was featured in the November 2020 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art November 2020 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
IN THE MIDDLE of September, I spent a long weekend high up in the Colorado mountains. After a scorching summer of record-setting heat, we’d just had an equally record-setting freak snowstorm, and that meant the mornings were downright cold up at 10,000 feet. On one of those mornings my husband and I set out for a drive, hoping to see some of the aspen trees beginning to turn their brilliant golden color. That didn’t quite work out—it was still a bit too early—but an impromptu side trip proved to be an unexpected highlight. Just 5 miles off the main road, the view suddenly opened up to reveal a gorgeous alpine lake surrounded by pine trees and backed by jagged, snow-capped peaks. My first thought: “This would be a great place for painters!”
Perhaps I had painting on my mind because, on that very same day, the Oil Painters of America was kicking off its first-ever Virtual Wet Paint Competition, which Southwest Art was proud to sponsor. It’s been a long and fun tradition for us to host a Pampered Paint-Out during OPA’s annual national exhibitions, and this year—like everything else—it went online, meaning that painters all around the country and the world got to participate. They set up their easels wherever they were, from backyards to neighborhood parks and beyond (and some painted models or still lifes in their studios, too).
The paintings created during those two days were so impressive. In fact, just a few days after my alpine-lake visit, I enjoyed listening to painter John Pototschnik, the event’s juror, present the awards and explain what made each piece deserving of recognition. As he pointed out the good decisions artists had made in terms of composition, color, texture, and more, I marveled at the sense of life contained and conveyed in these canvases. The freshness and immediacy was truly inspiring.
This month’s issue features several artists whose paintings also benefit from time spent on location, even if they later return to their studio to continue working. Nancie King Mertz credits much of her success to her plein-air work on the streets of Chicago and other urban settings. Mostafa Keyhani’s story opens with him setting him up his easel at Mission San Juan Capistrano during a visit to Southern California. And Paula B. Holtzclaw speaks of the way plein-air painting keeps her emotionally entrenched in the coastal landscape she loves, helping her capture its “heady stillness.” Working from life, in these cases, makes all the difference.
This story was featured in the November 2020 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art November 2020 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
MORE RESOURCES FOR ART COLLECTORS & ENTHUSIASTS
• Subscribe to Southwest Art magazine
• Learn how to paint & how to draw with downloads, videos & more
• Sign up for your Southwest Art email newsletter & download a FREE ebook