Dipping my feet in plein air painting

This summer, I have been enjoying a fresh (to me) way of creating: via plein air painting! While I have done plenty of street sketches during my travels, painting a canvas outdoors is something that I don’t typically engage in because my original pieces are so time-consuming.

Lately though, I have taken advantage of our perfect summer and fall weather, and worked on several canvases on location. This “new hobby” has forced me to paint in busy, ever-changing environment and with faster-drying acrylics. I believe that plein air painting serves as a great creative exercise, and plan on continuing this practice, whenever weather allows.

Here is the piece I worked on in July, all the way in Seward, Alaska, with a final studio-refined result below.

Now, to be clear: I do not (and will not, at least in the foreseeable future) consider myself a plein air painter in the full sense of this word. Artists who are fully dedicated to creating their paintings en plein air, normally complete their pieces on location from start to finish. They tend to stick to a loose impressionistic style, and do not refine their works later in the studio. I, on the other hand, start my pieces outside, and then tinker with them in the studio, using pens and other media, as long as I want to, until I deem them complete.

So, for me, plein air painting simply means enjoying some creation time outside. All of the other rules I make up as I go.

Here is a piece created on a beautiful September day, on a beach in Evanston, IL (with studio completion):

And this one was born on a beach in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood. I focused my piece on the red umbrellas and cute vibe of Chicago Waterfront Cafe, a hidden gem tucked between highrises on our beautiful lakefront. I’ve been painting local scenes with Joy of Art De Joie, a super prolific, talented plein air artist.