Plein Air Sketch, Perched on a Rock, by Deborah Chapin

Description

About the Plein Air Sketch as part of the Painting Process:

So on August 5th I joined the #pleinairpaintersofMaine at Pemaquid point.  I haven’t been able to join them much since I’ve been here when my mother was sick.  But  it was a beautiful day, perfect weather and the aftermath of a storm, so all the good things that make painting surf great.  I nabbed a small Plein air and some photos of my fellow #PleinAirPainters.  See photos of progress shots and fellow painters. So satisfying when you are able to create something out of nothing and it works.  Nothing ever touches it. I like to paint several smaller paintings like this one, working myself up to larger work, as I learn the subject matter.  Gradually developing a portfolio which expresses the full character of the place.   Pemaquid Point is no different to than one of my favorite haunts in France.  It must be explored and appreciated and allowed to seep in at it’s own pace.  I think deeply and like to delve into the nature of the place,  learning the nooks and crannies and developing a deep appreciation of its beauty.   Instant gratification is not my thing.  I have never been someone who thought a cursory look at someplace even counted as having seen something.   This series of plein air and studio paintings are new work added to an already extensive portfolio of 40 years of art.

Artist’s Statement

I have painted every subject known to woman at this point, starting with marine art, coastals, seascapes, florals and landscapes en plein air (on location) I am now branching out to portraits and figurative work and add it to my skills and eventually incorporate it into my seascapes. I am excited to see where it goes and how it evolves. Currently I am taking on a project to paint underwater portraits and figure work. I began this portfolio with the economic downturn because the expense and personal considerations made travel impossible. I have been painting water in all its various forms and moods for 35 years and this subject matter appealed to me because it combined something I knew well with something I was just beginning to learn. The objective wasn’t to do a photo realistic painting but rather to capture the essence of the subject and the spirit of the model. Water often represents the border between this world and the next but that need not be the dark side of that connotation and to my mind it is uplifting and full of life and movement. I am seeking to depict the inside dynamic of an individual using water to carry light and movement through the subject. What I’m trying to depict is the spirit of women, not as the languid object but instead as a dynamic, spirited, strong and intellectually thoughtful individual. Water is a freeing medium, releasing the subject from the constraints of the ordinary and from gravity it also doesn’t allow for “the pose” with the difficulty of control comes movement and life into the depiction and a certain serendipity which I have always found to be an inspiration. I use the natural light because again it the opposite of the darkness it represents life and vitality and enhances the strength of light patterns and movement lines.