Pacific Coast at Monterey Penninsula by Anita Keegan
Today I am thrilled to share a guest post by Anita Keegan.
The artwork of Tres Artistas -- three local artists Barbara Bush, Anita Keegan and Suzy Goza --is featured through the end of April at the Ruidoso Public Library. The three artists’ interest in plein aire painting united them and created a firm bond not only as artists, but as friends and nature lovers.
San Pascual by Barbara Bush
En Plein Aire (French for “in the open air”) painting is a process in which the painting is done outside and on site. Ideally, 80% of the painting should be completed on the scene. The Impressionist artists made the practice popular in the late 1800’s and it remains popular today.
New Mexico is the perfect place to practice plein aire: big vistas, clean air and dramatic skies offer interesting subject matter and plenty of challenges. A successful plein aire piece not only relates the visual image to the audience, it emotes mood, weather, and allows for individual artistic interpretation — much more than a camera lens provides.
For the Tres Artistas, plein aire is just plain fun! Starting the day earlier in order to take advantage of interesting light, discovering a new location, and getting caught in summer storms are all part of the adventure. Good days are not only about the successes – or failures – that are created. For the artists, good days mean sharing the spirit of painting and learning from each other.
Oak Grove at Three Rivers by Suzy Goza
The Tres Artistas show also features studio pieces. Although the artists’ styles differ dramatically, their interest in plein aire and influence on each other binds the show together. Stop by the library before the end of April to see the wonderful art of these three artists.
