Plein air watercolor painter Buffalo Kaplinski shares a special moment from the 25th Plein Air Artists of Colorado event. The following is part of a series featuring a leader in the art community who has joined us on the faculty of the Plein Air Convention & Expo.
“I just about fainted,” said Buffalo Kaplinski. “What is so special is that my mom’s birthday was earlier in the week and she’s responsible for getting me art lessons at an early age – 9 years old (Yikes – that was 70 years ago).”
At the 25th Plein Air Artists of Colorado (Mary Williams Fine Art) event in November, Buffalo’s painting “Sandstone Ranch” won Best of Show.
“This painting was done on a handmade paper from India called Shizen (100% cotton / acid-free),” he said. “Watercolor paper is not really made out of wood pulp – but cotton fibers, and can be made by a cold press or a hot press (like ironing a shirt), and there are many, many brands. Regular paper has wood pulp and yellows with age (I know you’ve seen that).
“I painted this at Sandstone Ranch, south of Castle Rock as part of a plein air event for the Douglas Land Conservancy, “Beauty of the Open Land.” Our state has more scenic spots than we can count! My biographer, Harmon Graves, spent a whole day to see how I work – I asked him for some tips on color but he declined, saying he only gives legal advice.
“If you’re in the Boulder area it might be good to visit Mary Williams Fine Art. Thank you all for purchasing my art and making it possible for me to survive. A starving artist cannot paint – you’re too hungry to paint (I’ve been there and done that), and praise the Lord I’m still here, alive in Colorado!”
Save years of struggle and frustration by discovering techniques revealed by the world’s top watercolor artists in just three days in the world’s largest online art training event January 24-26, 2023 with an Essential Techniques Day on January 23: Watercolor Live 2024.
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