Blog

On the easel right now is the grisaille for my next painting. I am considering experimenting a bit with color and texture. It will be on the easel for a while until I have decided how I want to use (or not use) color in this painting. While deciding, I have been painting with my plein air class and using that time to do some field studies and experiment with color and heavy impasto.

Field Studies are essential to creativity.

Where is the field? In my case it might be out on the coast, over at the nature preserve or in the garden in my own back yard. Occasionally I have a goal in mind, studying a particular tree, or perhaps developing a new color palette.

In the field I am mostly looking and waiting.

Waiting to see and understand what is going on visually, then abstracting, distilling and editing. It's a process of drilling down to the core. My goal is to take what I learn back to the studio and apply what I have learned in the field to my studio painting, to help me move forward.

I will have a collection of the field studies on exhibit at The Santa Ysabel Art Gallery starting in December. Contact Annie at Santa Ysabel Art Gallery for details 760 765-1676.