{"id":1981,"date":"2013-12-14T12:55:56","date_gmt":"2013-12-14T17:55:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dawnbanning.com\/newsblog\/?p=1981"},"modified":"2013-12-14T13:33:28","modified_gmt":"2013-12-14T18:33:28","slug":"painting-outdoors-shyness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.dawnbanning.com\/newsblog\/painting-outdoors-shyness\/","title":{"rendered":"Painting Outdoors & Shyness"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"DSC05514\"<\/a>\u00a0Trails-plein air- Dec 2013<\/p>\n

Amid thorny bushes, perched on a rock, my feeble attempt painting a hydrangea was going south.<\/p>\n

Desiring to avoid onlookers, the most private spot in the garden, was also the worst for painting.\u00a0It was 1996, and my first foray into plein air painting.<\/p>\n

My friend, Artist Patrick O’Brien persuaded me to join him one balmy morning at the Lieutenant Governor’s Gardens in Victoria.<\/p>\n

Patrick’s mentoring advice still resonates. “Accomplish in one brushstroke what would normally take you seven”.<\/p>\n

Despite my admiration for Patrick & his amazing work, I bailed.<\/p>\n

I had stalled awhile, finishing off my snacks watching butterflies. Gazed over the Pacific. Sang diddies in my head” I saw a ship come sailing in, come sailing in.. ”<\/p>\n

I didn’t return to plein air until 2011 in the Boreal Forest. This time I was among internationally recognized artists working on the most important project in my life so far.<\/p>\n

\"DSC02832\"<\/p>\n

Overlooking the incredible scenery, Patrick’s voice drifted into my head”You should have practiced- Now look at the pickle you are in”.<\/p>\n

Somehow I managed to find a groove and discover new freshness to the work.<\/p>\n

One luxury painting with professionals in the forest, we relished the quiet solitude. The problem for me isn’t working outdoors, it is that someone might see<\/em> me.<\/p>\n

It was an issue when I began long distance running. I would slow to walk if people or cars were about. It made for tedious running<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ironically, years later I would choose to run races in front of thousands, in spandex!<\/p>\n

Just as surprising, last week I found myself painting in front of an audience, during a radio program, with TV crews wandering about at CBC. ( Thanks CBC!)<\/p>\n

\"DSC05570\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I still need practice outdoors. Unable to find the seclusion I savoured in the boreal, I have ventured out of my comfort zone painting my favourite running trails.<\/p>\n

\"DSC05521<\/a><\/p>\n

I even met up with a Plein Air Group for a few of their outings. A welcoming bunch who have great fun.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Possibilities for plein air are endless. Some painters will complete a finished piece in a sitting. Others will ‘sketch paint’, loose studies for a painting they will create in the studio. Drawing is another option. To see some incredible examples of field studies, John Pitcher does fantastic work.\u00a0http:\/\/johncpitcherart.blogspot.ca<\/a><\/p>\n

My intention is to work on composition skills, dexterity, capture the essence, develop a quick encompassing eye & fast colour mixing.<\/p>\n

Like running drills.<\/p>\n

I wouldn’t necessarily<\/em> exhibit a plien air sketch any more than I would stop in the middle of a marathon and do high knee drills.<\/p>\n

A key is to work on weakness’s and process, not the end result. It can be quite freeing!<\/p>\n

\"DSC05653<\/a>\"DSC05658\"\u00a0Plein air of river-in development above<\/p>\n

In impressionism, the rawness of plein air is directly transferable to the kind of work I do.<\/p>\n

Lately, the cold impedes my brushstroke & palette, making it wonderfully uncontrollable.<\/p>\n

So here’s to warm mittens,( Thank you Gaye) great outdoor gear( thank you Patagonia) and a thermos of hot tea. Patrick, if you are listening\u2026. I am<\/em> practicing… \u00a0and Patrick, thank you.<\/p>\n

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New\u00a0” Creek” 14 x18 Oil was inspired on a plein air\/ photo research outing.<\/p>\n

Center of Circumpolar Studies Online Auction Closes Monday!<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.circumpolarstudies.org\/2013\/12\/ccswreaf-artist-showcase-art-auction\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0Trails-plein air- Dec 2013 Amid thorny bushes, perched on a rock, my feeble attempt painting a hydrangea was going south. Desiring to avoid onlookers, the most private spot in the garden, was also the worst for painting.\u00a0It was 1996, and … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1981","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-new-work"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.dawnbanning.com\/newsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1981","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.dawnbanning.com\/newsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.dawnbanning.com\/newsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.dawnbanning.com\/newsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.dawnbanning.com\/newsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1981"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"http:\/\/www.dawnbanning.com\/newsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1981\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2015,"href":"http:\/\/www.dawnbanning.com\/newsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1981\/revisions\/2015"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.dawnbanning.com\/newsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1981"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.dawnbanning.com\/newsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1981"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.dawnbanning.com\/newsblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1981"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}