Burst of Activity: Experimentation Toward the Daily Painting Initiative

I am very smitten by those artists who commit to the Daily Painting initiative. I am not there yet with the discipline and fortitude required for that level of effort since I have some other irons in the fire at this time in my life but I have a view towards that end. Nevertheless, I am learning something from each artistic session I am able to complete resulting in an Artifact.

In the Fall of 2011, I borrowed a book from the local library Paint with the Impressionists (1995) by Jonathan Stephenson.  I found it to be very readable and inspiring. He describes the technique and approach of the Masters and applies it to a scene of his choosing. I was able to go through about half of the book before I had to return it to the library. I was able to preview and work through four of the prescribed lessons:

• Linseed fields near Drakeholes (after Monet)
• Poppies on a Mound (after Monet)
• The Rowan Tree (after Pissaro)
• Trees on a Ridge (after Renoir)

After an overly long hiatus from my personal Creative Pursuit, reading Stephenson's book and starting on some of the lessons was one of the stimulus' that got me started on a Burst of Activity to break through and get some Works on the canvas. I have taken lots of Cloudscape photos over the last year and have been wanting to work some of that effort and Insight into my Artistic Endeavor.  Since I am a self-taught artist, I found it different to follow someone else's written artistic instructional advice with a provided example and work on something in the studio rather than en plein aire.

With no disrespect at all for Mr. Stephenson's direction, I found it just a tad less "fulfilling" perhaps because there was less Insight required regarding the composition and less Formulation required to decide how to arrange and complete the Work in the Journey. Emphasis for me on this task was mostly on the use of the media towards the Artifact. As you may recall, dear Reader, the Impressionists generally preferred to paint from direct observation of nature. Contriving a composition from memory or through indirect observation indoors was not indicated by them in the 1800s. Here's one of my first efforts with an explicit nod towards Monet's style.

Souvenir Art: Linseed Fields- Copyright James E. Martin 2011