plein air at Soundview, Greenport, NY

Every Wednesday from 16h to 19h, Amy Worth of the South Street Gallery in Greenport holds a plein air painting class at the Soundview. Yesterday was the first time I joined them, and we were lucky to have guest artist Duane Keiser demonstrating and critiquing.

Duane began a small oil painting; it was wonderful to see the view bloom and unfold on his small linen on wood canvas. The sky changed, the shadows over the water, sand and trees changed, and Duane’s painting was a record of the hour he painted. The last to appear under his brush were the few bathers in the water. It was a lovely painting. And then, it was out turn…

But, it was terribly muggy and hot. Some of us went into the water first and had to paint in salty damp swimwear (very worth it!) Some watched the demo and then packed up and left. And some sat in the sun and painted, roasting nicely. My oil sticks melted.

Duane went around and commented. My rocks that were silhouetted in the view seemed dark brown, but he pointed out that they were not: they had sun and movement, and he suggested color to bring in the vibration.   Mine is more an illustration than a painting. He used oil, and said to paint the big blocks of color first, “Once people start to draw people and umbrellas and houses, the painting stops and the drawing begins.”  So, I tried to put down blocks of color, and will keep on trying.

If you are a rock, I can do your portrait, in an interpretative way. Sorry, I cannot do people, yet.