AUGUST 2005
Viewers' Choice Award
Charles Wood
"Suncoast Sentinel"
Congratulations!!
Viewers of the Oil Pastel Society's Member Show, "Beginnings", have voted. The painting the viewing public awarded the Viewers' Choice Award to is Charles Wood for "Suncoast Sentinel", a beautifully done painting.
Plein Air Painting
With warm weather in this part of the world, artists’ thoughts often stray to creating art outside. And here at The Oil Spiel, our thoughts have also wandered outside.
This issue of the newsletter is devoted to Plein Air Painting.
What is Plein Air Painting?
Merriam-Webster.com defines plein air (French, open
air) as:
1 : of or relating to painting in outdoor daylight
2 : of or relating to a branch of impressionism that
attempts to represent outdoor light and air
Plein air painting is learning to paint with nature as your teacher. While there are beautiful paintings created using reference photos, the camera does not seem to show the same range and depth of color as seen by the human eye. While opening up color and depth possibilities, Nature is a difficult teacher to study with. Using a reference photo, you are free to spend as much time on a painting as you wish. But in nature, the light is constantly changing. You may only have an hour or two before the light and shadows of your scene become too different to continue painting. So painting from nature forces one to spend less time thinking about what color to put down and instead learning from experience and mistakes.
Member Wendy Manning of New Brunswick, Canada:
“Some things to remember about plein airs are that they won't necessarily look as finished as instudio work, and they won't necessarily "turn out". When you get over the pressure to have a "successful" painting, you will be free to learn and enjoy, and to experience the immediacy of painting something that's right in front of you. And some of them WILL be "successful"! “
Plein air is also a way to enjoy your oil pastels while sitting in a lovely, crowded or secluded spot or while on vacation. As Wendy said, if you can get past the idea that you have to make a masterpiece, painting plein air can be just plain fun!
We filled this newsletter with articles to help you discover just how fun painting outside can be.
So read on, then pick up your oil pastels, wander outside, and start painting!
If you enjoy yourself like we think you will, send us an email with your thoughts on the plein air experience or send a photo or two. We’d love to hear from you.
newsletter@oilpastelsociety.com
Welcome to the Oil Pastel Society
New Associate Members
Sharon D. Baker
Anita H. Brechtel
Sally Eslinger
Michael Kovics
New Professional Member
Maureen McKee
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Wendy Manning has a distinctive light-filled style full of beautiful colors. Perhaps this is because she has been doing plein air paintings for most of her art career. She began using oil pastel in plein air painting a few years ago. Wendy takes her pastels with her to paint almost anywhere. |
Member News
An arts group in southern Ontario is looking for a member of the Oil Pastel Society who might be interested in teaching. If you live in that area and are interested, please contact us at the Oil Spiel for more information.
If you missed this last month, Carly Clements, Georgia, USA, had a How-to article on Oil Pastels published by art supply distributor Daniel Smith in brochures and on their website, Click here for the article on Daniel Smith's site or copy and paste the following: http://www.danielsmith.com/learn/inksmith/200504c/default.asp
How-to Articles for Plein Air Painting
Wendy Manning shows us two demos on using oil pastels on location.
Click here to see how Wendy goes through the steps of a painting
Martin Stankewitz shows us what he carries to use oil pastels on location.
Click here to see what is in Martin’s bag
Ann Tucker shows us how she created a home-made pochade box.
Click here to see Ann’s paintbox
Competitions Which Accept Oil Pastels:
The OPS is providing this information as a service to our members. No endorsement is intended. The artist assumes responsibility for reading the prospectus and determining eligibility.
Just a reminder - check out the Arkansas Pastel Society's show - deadline for slides is August 15, 2005. http://www.arkpastel.com
Ever wonder what jurors are thinking when they judge a show?
Creative Catalyst Productions is holding an online art show. The juror will select the top three entries and explain why they were chosen over others. Along with the critique, the top three also receive prizes. For more information go to www.ccpvideos.com
Click here for the list of Competitions
NOTES:
One way that all of you can help to make the Oil Pastel Society more visible is by placing a link from your personal website to the Society's home page or you can link to your artist gallery from your homepage. Feel free to use the new society logo as a graphic on your links page! Below is the reference and the logo which has been downsized. Copy and paste the reference into one of your web pages and download the graphic and upload to your site.
We are always in need of tips and articles to share with everyone. If you would like to contribute a tip or write a short article, please contact our Newsletter Editor, Ann Tucker, at newsletter@oilpastelsociety.com
If you have a new email address, please notify membership@oilpastelsociety.com so that our records can be updated and you don't miss out on any of the news!
And don't forget, Cafe Press has items for sale featuring our beautiful OPS logo and can be seen at:
http://www.cafepress.com/oilpastels
Your OPS Staff
ARCHIVES: Click here to read past Newsletters.
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Edition 1, Issue #11