The idea of plein air painting has always appealed to me, filling my head with images of the Impressionists zealously painting myriad light and weather conditions, of the lone artist blissfully stepping out into the city or the poetic woods one sunny afternoon with an easel and a vision. That said, while I occasionally sketch outdoors or go out with my camera for the sole purpose of photographing the world around me, I tend to work indoors.
Fall in the Park [above] was my first attempt at plein air painting in five years (if not more). I was not accustomed to the constantly changing light, the challenge of finding a place to set up my easel, the spiders and other insects in my paint, nor the hushed tones of passersby. . . yet spending the afternoon in Huntsville's Big Spring Park with two friends, trying to capture the scene before my eyes before the sun set and the breeze quickened, was an enriching experience. I very much wanted to capture the light in an Impressionistic fashion and painted in an alla prima style, but I could not help picturing the scene in many different styles.
This plein air sketch was done in water-based oils on a 24X30. If you would like to purchase a print for your home or office, please contact me via the comments section or the Christina Wegman Fine Art page on Facebook.
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