According to Google AI (lol), "Plein Air" painting can be defined as the practice of painting complete works of art outdoors, with the subject in full view.
In May, I decided to participate in my first plein air competition in hopes of building my confidence as an artist and ultimately learning to work faster. The catch? I had never even tried plein air painting before...ever.
Let's rewind the tapes...
Friday, 11 May 2024
This afternoon, I registered for the STEMS Plein Air Paint - artists have a whole month to paint (outdoors, on location - no studio work); selected pieces win prizes and are displayed in gallery shows. There are also two Quick Paint challenges, and one happened to be TONIGHT.
So, I flipped a coin and decided to go for it with about an hour to get packed up and drive out to the arboretum. I was buzzing with nerves on my way there, certain I’d make a fool of myself, but excited for the challenge.
I brought a TV tray and a tote bag in lieu of a traditional pochade box that the veteran artists all had in tow. My bag broke a few steps into my race for a spot, which meant I would need to stay closer than I’d hoped. I found a quiet spot by a small pond and set up - with shaky hands and a messyyy dump bag 🫠
As the first hour came and went, the sun beat down on me and backlit my view, making it hard to see but even harder to paint consistent lighting. What I had hoped to be the perfect golden hour spot turned out to be another lesson.
Throughout the second hour, I was certain I was gonna be taking an L. There was no hope for a finished piece. My perspective was off, my shadows were constantly moving, and I didn’t have time for the details that would make the difference.
Closing in on the last five minutes, I threw color where I could and let go of any plan. I was SWEATING. I haphazardly “packed” the broken dump bag, tucked the TV tray under my arm, and precariously balanced the painting between hands. It was at that moment, I thought…”let’s just walk out. Don’t even stop at the judging station. You can just go home and be happy you tried!”
But I was guided to the table and greeted with a big smile, when I reluctantly handed over my entry. I was pleasantly surprised by the messy, expressive pieces laid out. My painting was imperfect, but it was at home in the lineup. I didn’t look like a fool; I looked like an artist.
As we all explored the tables and wrapped up the night, I noticed artists huddling around my piece, looping back to take photos. I could’ve cried I was so proud of myself. Today was a good day and one worth remembering with a silly little post.
xoxo Sarah
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