“Las Columnas de la Alameda,” by Richard Maud, oil on canvas panel, 16 x 13 in.
“Las Columnas de la Alameda,” by Richard Maud, oil on canvas panel, 16 x 13 in.

Artists often return to a particular subject matter when they don’t think it has been sufficiently explored. For Richard Maud, one of those motifs was the columns of the Alameda, in Seville, Spain.

“I painted ‘Los Columnas de la Alameda 2’ in two sessions toward the end of last 2016,” says Maud. “I’d already painted these columns before, but this time it’s from a different angle, looking into the morning sunlight.”

“Las Columnas de la Alameda 2,” by Richard Maud, oil on canvas panel, 16 x 13 in.
“Las Columnas de la Alameda 2,” by Richard Maud, oil on canvas panel, 16 x 13 in.

He continues, “The first painting was done with brushes looking northwards with the sun behind me, whereas the second painting was executed mainly with palette knives, looking southwards into the sunlight. The paintings aren’t just about the place but also the moment and the morning light. Both paintings were completed in two sessions of three hours.

“I think three hours is the limit for me because as the earth rotates and the sun, in turn, changes its position in the sky, the subject matter transforms so dramatically that the moment I’m trying to capture soon disappears.

“My other concerns include composition, mark making, use of color and depth, amongst other things, as well as making sure I’m set up in a place where I won’t freeze to death or burn to a crisp, depending on the time of year.”

This article was originally published in Plein Air Today, 2017


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