In this series, plein air painter and instructor Jeanne Mackenzie takes a look at new paintings by contemporary artists and points out why they succeed as painted images. This week, Aimee Erickson’s “Remembered Adventures.”
What a fun display of color. The viewer is led to the chromatic orange trailer by the wonderful directional leads pointing to the subject. Playful color melds the secondary triad — green, orange, and violet — giving it a vibrancy as well as cohesiveness. There is an inviting sense of light, suggesting a dramatic afternoon time of day. The shadows become an important structure of the painting, helping to support the focal point. The shadow pairs with the wonderful varied green boards of the side building. Now that is a lesson in linear perspective! A scene most artists would drive by becomes a lovely, intimate glimpse into a hometown setting.
