Paint outdoors

“When I first started to paint outdoors, I was immediately taken by the sense of peace that I experienced from being in nature. I was able to let go of my typical approaches to painting from a photo and just enjoy observing the beauty that lay before me. My thoughts gradually dwindled away as I started to mix colors as closely as possible to the what I was perceiving in the landscape. After an hour or so I almost felt that the landscape was painting me. I had entered into a “flow state” that I hadn’t experienced previously and was hooked. My senses were enlivened by the light breeze off the ocean, the warmth of the sun on my face, and the refreshing smell of pine trees. All were finding their way into my work. It was magical.”

“A note about mindset when it comes to painting en plein air: set appropriate expectations for your painting session. Sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised with what I am able to create on location, but most of the time, I expect to come away with a sketch that I can hopefully learn from. The goal for me when I paint outdoors is to gather information about the scene. I'm staying present and absorbing the sensory experience that cannot be replicated in the studio. I (almost) always walk away refreshed and invigorated, but I don't often walk away with a finished painting.”