Marlene Steele’s plein air paintings document the renovation of the historic Cincinnati Union Terminal and celebrate traditional trades in the revitalization of the Art Deco train station now known as the Cincinnati Museum Center.
Capturing the Renovation of the Cincinnati Museum Center
By Marlene Steele
Intrigued with the multiple processes of renovation, I resolved to capture the daily routines at the Art Deco train station on the west side of Cincinnati: Union Terminal. I set up in the morning to capture the morning light on the east facing facade, towering in the background of that day’s activity.
My medium of choice in this plein air series is traditional pastel, which I enjoy as a versatile drawing medium combining color and spontaneity. My support is a MiTientes sanded pastel surface in a middle value.
Working on a board with a simple lawn chair setup on the street, I set about drawing around 8:30 am daily, planning the composition to the dimension of a half sheet.
The choreography of the various construction trades was remarkable. I embraced their fearless trust in a variety of cranes and lifts to accomplish access for cleaning and repair on a nearby overpass.
Painting became a race against the sun. The various construction teams began to cycle off for lunch around 11:00 am. A completely different sun position would present itself when the teams reassembled. Assessing views from a different vantage point was an option.
As the sunlight passed over the building, my opportunity for this day’s composition passed. I felt truly challenged as I packed up, realizing that my exercise documented another day in the process.
I worked in plein air with pastels through the months into autumn that year, and enlarged the compositions with oil in the studio.
Connect with Marlene Steele and see more of her plein air paintings of Cincinnati at marlenesteelefineart.com.
