“Study for Lester’s,” by Dan Knepper, oil, 8 x 12 in.
Painting Skies > As plein air painters know, the sky is rarely just blue. There’s at least a gradation from top to bottom, and the clouds can reflect anything from deep orange to vivid purple. What did 20 artists see when they looked up?
We asked readers to send in their plein air depictions of skies and clouds. We’ve received more than 200 e-mails — and many more paintings than we could hope to present. Enjoy a few of the most diverse and interesting sky paintings — by you.
“Clouds Over Orta,” by Wanda Mumm, 2014, oil, 9 x 12 in.“Cielo del Alba,” by Sharon Sussman, oil, 40 x 14 in.“Gray Clouds,” by Kathleen Reilly, oil, 8 x 10 in.“Beauty Overhead,” by Jill Basham, oil, 6 x 6 in.“Evening Cloud Bank Over Phoenix,” by Gretchen Olberding, pastel, 22 x 28 in.“Plein Air Landscape (Contrails),” by Nina Warner, oil, 30 x 30 in.“Sky Over Rye,” by Karl Terry, oil on board, 12 x 16 in.“Breath of Heaven,” by Mary Erickson, oil on panel, 10 x 10 in.“Winter Breath,” Wendie Thompson, oil, 12 x 16 in.“Beginning of Sunset,” by Carol Strock Wasson, pastel, 12 x 16 in.“Clouds Over Lake Erie,” by Katherine Galbraith, oil on linen, 9 x 12 in.“A Natural Celebration,” by Elizabeth Rhoades, pastel, 12 x 16 in.“Backlight and Rain,” by Roeland van Reem, oil on panel, 12 x 16 in.“Super Soaker,” by Manon Sander, oil, 10 x 8 in.“Whipped by the Wind,” by Maria Reardon, pastel, 9 x 12 in.“Rain Over Diablo,” by Catherine Fasciato, oil, 18 x 24 in.“Italy, Pianello,” by Barry John Raybould, oil, 6 x 8 in.“A Vancouver Day,” by Charlie Easton, acrylic, 12 x 16 in.“Kite Flying,” by Tina Swindell, acrylic, 11 x 14 in.
