Before many of us slip into the colder coat weather of winter, painters are making the most of the stunning colors autumn has to offer. Here’s what some of your fellow artists have created while painting en plein air this season. Enjoy, and be inspired!
Elizabeth Kellerman painted this scene (WIP) during a free music event at a venue called Rare Bird Farm in Hot Springs, North Carolina after Helene hit nearby Asheville, which is about 20 miles east. (Learn how you can help the flood victims, including the local artists, here.)“I’ve been painting this fall in Western Massachusetts, where I recently bought a house,” said Giselle Harrington. “I paint quick watercolor paintings with the goal to capture the fleeting light and the colors in light and shadow. I am interested in exploring different regions and making paintings that record what I feel is the character of the specific place.”“I currently split time between Massachusetts and New Hampshire,” said Maria Nemchuk. “This was painted in Vermont from the back of my ‘paintmobile’. The leaves were turning, the light was amazing!”
“To show the feeling of being in the woods I need to remember painting less is the path to a better painting, for me anyway,” said Poppy Balser. “This scene (below) is mostly about the fresh air of a fall day, as shown by golden light filtering through the trees, onto the brilliant yellow foliage of the understory. To preserve the freshness of the scene, I have to use restraint and only suggest at the shapes and colors that are there.”
“This was painted in a sugar maple stand where we collect sap for maple syrup in the spring,” said Poppy Balser. “The yellow understory is made up of the next generation of maple trees, baby saplings just starting to reach for the sky.”Rick Neilsen tells us this is his plein air painting in West Stockbridge, MA along the Williams River. He later finished the painting in the studio.An autumn landscape painting by Rich Gallego, who recently released the art video workshop “Autumn Gold – Paint Landscapes with Impact,” available through PaintTube.tv. In it, you’ll learn how to create eye-catching paintings using one of Rich’s many painting secrets, called “Graphic Impact.”“I did this plein air watercolor painting of the two-wheeler parking of my college in Chandigarh, India,” said Vishavjeet Singh.“This 8 x 10-inch oil painting was done en plein air at Johnstown Castle, County Wexford in Ireland at the end of October,” said Sheila MacNally. “Our Southeast plein air group had its last outing of the year and while it was a damp day it didn’t stop us from finding some beautiful golds and rusts in the trees! I’ve painted the castle and lake lots of times so allowed myself to just enjoy the color in this tree.”“Glacier National Park, the Swan Mountains, and Flathead Lake inspire me to paint year round, but autumn is a candy shop of color,” said Therese Ely. “One of my go-to spots is the quarter circle bridge in Glacier National Park. Mornings are beginning to chill one’s fingers and toes. The fall rainbow begins with birch and aspen; the larch follow soon before they shed their golden needles.” (Shown here: “Praise For the Morning,” oil, 12 x 16 in., painted at McDonald Creek.)“Here is a photo of my plein air painting highlighting the coastal Colors at low tide,” shared Lynn Fournier. “This was painted on September 30th at Leggatt’s Point rest area. It is on the Saint-Lawrence coast in Mets-sur-Mer, Quebec, Canada. It was a sunny day but I had to wear several layers to stay warm. Just love the coastal orange fall colors!”
Inspired to paint your next autumn scene? First, learn how ow to leverage a “neurological loophole” in the human brain and use it to create highly engaging paintings with Rich Gallego’s art workshop. Preview it here!
