Decidedly Local

When I first started painting seriously, I thought that making a good painting involved finding an interesting and compelling subject matter. And that finding new locations was essential. Almost every subject in this show is within five miles of my house. Many of the paintings are the result of repeated painting/sketching trips to the Butterfly Garden at Tudek Park. Plein air sketches and watercolor, ranging from atrocious to “not too bad,” plus photos became the basis for studio pastel paintings. And while plein air painting is in vogue now, and I admire those with the skill and stamina to do it, I rarely finish anything outside. I am simply seeking information to be used in the studio.

Also included in this show are hand-pulled prints: linocut, collagraphs, and Drypoint which allow a different way of presenting the same subject matter. These printing processes emphasize different aspects of line, color and composition than the pastel work.

Digging into a scene and representing it in more than one media has been a satisfying and enriching approach. And this show is decidedly local.