Plein Air

It's fun to compare paintings of the same place that were done under different conditions. Changing weather throughout the day and the various seasons throughout the year can radically alter the mood and character of a scene. Over the years, I've painted at Mills River Park a handful of times. I love the location because of the long range views of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. Here's a collection of paintings that were all done en plein air, each with its own unique atmosphere—from the early morning mist, to blue skies, to the…Read more

(This is #4 of a 4 part series.) Craggy Overlook About half way between Asheville and nearby Mount Mitchell (the highest point east of the Mississippi River) the Blue Ridge Parkway passes through the Craggy Mountains. At Milepost 364, I set up my easel and painted the breathtaking overlook to the North. Highland Lake Circa 1910 This painting depicts an old abandoned house in the hills near Franklin, NC. After some discussion with other painters at the paintout, we guessed that the home was built in the early 1900s. Hence the name, "Circa…Read more

(This is #3 of a 4 part series.) A Brief History of Plein Air Painting By the mid 1800s, with photography becoming mainstream, many artists used photographic techniques to produce (realistic) paintings. The Plein Air Movement, which was linked to the Impressionist Movement, was in part a reaction against the limited, mechanical nature of images produced by the camera. Also, the Impressionists had a particular fascination with color (which photography was not yet able to reproduce.) With a bent toward romanticism, Impressionist artists who painted en plein air sought to put the artist…Read more

(This is #2 of a 4 part series.) Across The River Hominy Creek Park is home to a section of the French Broad River Greenway, a bike and pedestrian pathway that runs along the west bank of the French Broad River. On the opposite bank, directly across the River, is the world famous Biltmore Estate. On this cloudy day, there were some unexpected colors playing in the reflections of the water. French Broad River Park French Broad River Park (West Asheville) painted on an overcast day in April. (I'm particularly pleased with the…Read more

(This is #1 of a 4 part series.) Parkway Overlook From Asheville, traveling South West on the Blue Ridge Parkway, one winds up through Pisgah National Forest. Just past the Pisgah Inn, at Milepost 409 there is a spectacular view of numerous peaks including Funnel Top Mountain. This painting was done in the morning before the clouds rolled in and completely obscured the view. Bearwallow Vista Bearwallow Mountain is situated on the Eastern Continental Divide with commanding views in every direction. The vista I chose to paint overlooks Henderson County's apple country, Fruitland,…Read more

For Your Viewing Pleasure Last weekend I was painting at the French Broad River Park with a local outdoor painting club. I realized I hadn't photographed and shared most of the plein air paintings. (Plein Air is simply a French term that means "outdoors".) So, over the next couple of weeks I'll be sending out a series of 4 emails, each featuring a handful of plein air landscapes for your viewing pleasure. What makes plein air paintings special? While an artist is painting directly from nature the sun moves and clouds may pass…Read more