Artist Statement
While I am not exclusively a plein art painter, I prefer to work outdoors. Paul Cézanne said, “ Painting from nature is not copying the object: it is realizing one’s sensations.” I find that when painting in nature I interpret the reality around me. While painting a scene, I must constantly adjust to changes caused by the variation in light and wind. I am learning to glean from my surroundings the elements that capture the experience. Although I am always hoping to create a successful painting, I find the process of painting in the open-air does indeed cause me to realize my sensations. While painting, I often have the benefit of hearing and seeing things in nature that often are overlooked. I begin to appreciate the movement of clouds, and the way the wind influences the surface of water.
Through plein air painting I find that a personal, meditative experience is created when responding directly to the natural environment. As artists, we respond to the mysteries of God’s creation, and our own creation, our art, serves as a reminder that we are, indeed, made in the image of God. It is my hope that a remnant of that experience can be found in my paintings.