In this weekly series Kelly Kane, Editor-in-Chief of Plein Air Magazine, shares a favorite painting and artist quote from the current issue.
Kelly Kane’s Pick of the Week: Washington Square Rain
“Like many artists, I’ve developed a photographic memory. I analyze people walking, where their heads and feet line up with the surrounding landscape. I mark that on the canvas and start applying shadowy shapes where they would be. I watch silently, take mental snapshots, and pick and choose colors and shapes from the passersby. I never photograph them or paint from photos of figures because that kills the piece. It makes things too stiff for my taste. Even if I’m painting at home in my studio, I leave the reference photos far away or only paint from my plein air studies. If I cannot see the small details, then I will not paint them in.”
~ Michele Byrne, “Adventures With a Palette Knife,” Plein Air Magazine, Dec 2019-Jan 2020
Read the full article in PleinAir Magazine, Dec 2019-Jan 2020
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