Some Thoughts on Nature and Painting

I love painting on location in plein-air. There is an immediacy there that encourages a purity and an honesty in the work of any artist willing to put themselves at the mercy of the elements. An artist can't really experience or even picture a scene in a studio quite the same way it's possible to do outdoors.

Watching colors in a late afternoon sky evolve or reflected light play on shapes is amazing in the detail it reveals. Even the soft colors of a rainy day have their own special appeal in subtle tones and pastel tints. Obviously painting outdoors has some limitations but I love it anyway. I'm forced by time passing or changing light (or weather) to concentrate on the essence of a scene. I paint everything, but I find the whole natural world a source of endless inspiration.

For me, this is one of the purest forms of painting because success demands a very deliberate approach. It's usually a very intense and even physical experience.

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