I PAINTED IN FRANCE

A NEW LEARNING
Inexperienced as I am with plein air painting, I didn’t do much on the spot work while Christine and I were in France. I believe she expected me to paint more during our seven weeks. I took acrylic paints along, a small watercolour container, a sketchpad with heavy watercolour paper, brushes, one 11X14 inch frame on which to mount canvasses, and twelve 11X14 in. canvas sheets which I cut from a large sheet of primed canvas before the trip.

Here are pictures that I completed while I was in France and they are described on my website.






I think part of my reticence at plein air painting is not only inexperience but the need to be less exacting. I must reassure myself that it is okay to paint simply and without great detail and to do it quickly. Usually such paintings serve as resource for later more developed paintings, but most artists are willing to sell these uncomplicated works and I have them modestly priced on the website as well. Someone has already asked for one of these precisely because it is minimalist. I daily learn something new.

I think that I will try more outdoor painting now that I am home. Carrying the necessary equipment is easier here. Murray Phillips, one of my accomplished artist friends has made a practice of painting outdoors, often an overnight as frequently as once per week. His paintings give indication that he knows his subject matter, pristine BC woods, rivers and fields. Barbara Boldt, a Fort Langley artist has established a reputation based on her exploration of coastal island rock formations. Robert Genn is a prolific Crescent Beach based painter whose videos tell the idyllic story of a man and his paintbox sitting in a forest or on a seashore and bringing back beauties. Come to think of it, just about every local artist I know is better at it than I am; Darren Perkins, Jack Turpin and Perry Haddock.