Posts from ‘Plein Air’
Jackson Hole artist Erin C. O’Connor will give a free plein air painting demonstration at String Lake, Grand Teton National Park on Saturday, September 10, 2011, 2:00-5:00 pm. O’Connor’s appearance winds up the Grand Teton Association’s 2011 “Artists in the Environment” plein air series, and coincides with the opening days of Jackson Hole’s Fall Arts Festival. (Tuesday, September 6th, the Jackson Hole Art Blog will post the first of two Fall Arts Festival calendars!)
O’Connor finds her greatest inspiration by painting directly within the environment. Noted for her participation in many prestigious plein air events, she is represented in collections and exhibits throughout the country. Since being awarded the 2009 Joshua Tree National Park “Artist-in-Residency”
post, she has taken part in numerous Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters (RMPAP) events, most recently being awarded “Artists’ Choice, Best Body of Work” by her peers at RMPAP’s Pagosa Springs, Colorado competition. Plein Air Magazine’s Spring 2011 issue named the artist one of “Today’s Masters.”
“To gain the endorsements of your fellow artists–there’s no higher accolade,” O’Connor says.
O’Connor came to Jackson 25 years ago, and stays because it’s a place where she and so many others are free to “follow their bliss.” As an artist, you can never paint as much as you’d like, she says. O’Connor sees the world around her afresh daily. It’s a point of ecstasy or a point of madness–but for her, wanting to paint everything you see–and seeing everything as a painting–is a gift.
O’Connor drew and painted from the time she was little.
“When I first started painting en plein air I’d say I strove more to capture details and “true” colors than I do now,” she notes. “Now, I don’t get as wrapped up in those details. It’s the essence behind the details I want to capture. That was never a conscious decision–you’re not going to change the way you paint, it’s like your signature. My style is not really contemporary, not really traditional. The Taos Ten greatly influenced me, and the California Impressionists–the people in the U.S. who were painting outside. It was their clarity of light and brilliant color.”
Describing herself as essentially a “solitary individual,” O’Connor has lately been painting hay bales–”round bales, square bales, hay loaves, hay
laying on the ground, in stripes and in piles!” Painting alone allows her to stay in her “zone,” frees her to get into her signature style. Summers, O’Connor works as a landscaper. The job gets her outside, and she can think about how to access certain scenes.
“I’m not above stopping on the Wilson Bridge and placing orange cones around me so I can paint! But there’s usually an easier way,” says a smiling O’Connor.
A few years ago, while painting at String Lake, a Western Tanager flew down to perch on the artist’s easel.
“I don’t know if it was attracted to the colors of the paint or if it was a mooch! It was a great experience,” recalls O’Connor. “There’s so much going on at String Lake. There are the mountains, so dramatic. There’s the lake itself, quiet and serene. It’s shallow enough to see logs beneath the water’s surface, everything is so interesting, there’s so much to choose from. And it’s an honor to be asked back to “Artists in the Environment.”
NOTE: There are several parking areas at String Lake. To hook up with “Artists in the Environment,” proceed to the furthest parking area–String Lake’s Picnic Area lot. Walk a short distance north, up the shoreline, and find O’Connor “in plein sight,” alongside the lake.
Contact: Tammy Christel tammy@jacksonholearttours.com
Nationally acclaimed artist Scott Christensen will give a live plein air demonstration at Grand Teton National Park’s Cathedral Group Turnout, Saturday, August 13, 2-5 pm. Christensen’s demonstration is the third of four such “Artists in the Environment” events this summer. The series is a Grand Teton Association program. The public is welcome to attend, and the event is free, with entry to Grand Teton National Park.
After nearly three decades at the easel, Scott Christensen’s painting has reached the highest level. For Christensen, painting transcends passion; it is as necessary as breathing. Largely self-taught, Christensen became an artist via a circuitous route. Born in Lander, Wyoming, a place of extreme geography and wild beauty, Christensen quickly developed his aesthetic. It was not until college, however, that he would recognize nature as his muse. While attending Nebraska’s Chardon State on a football scholarship, Christensen sustained a severe neck injury that left him unable to compete. Bereft, he sought solace in fly fishing, and he visited his grandfather, a wheelchair-bound amateur oil painter. The scent of oils stirred Christensen’s imagination, and he took a leap of faith, enrolling in art classes.
Christensen’s energy courses through paintings, deeply moving us. A sophisticated world traveler, his work opens our eyes to the beauty of
places as varied as California’s twilight coasts to England’s storied countrysides. Embodying both tradition and innovation, Christensen’s paintings are a culmination of nature’s beauty and the delight Christensen takes in the journey.
“The process alone,” he says, “is worth the effort.”
Scott Christensen is an internationally recognized artist. Over the years he has pursued painting with the discipline he once brought to sports. An atypical combination of athleticism, scholarly curiosity, and an ardent desire to experience nature are the alchemy of Christensen’s success. Most recently he’s been invited to show in Russia’s Ilya Repin St. Petersburg State Academic Institute for Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture. Christensen’s work is part of Grand Teton National Park’s Craig Thomas Visitors’ Center prestigious permanent collection.
Free to all, viewers are invited to bring a chair, a snack, and those who would like to are welcome to paint alongside the artist. Look for the big, bright “Artist’s Demonstration” banner! For more information, email: tammy@jacksonholearttours.com.
UPDATE: Click here to see photos of Scott Christensen’s “Artist in the Environment” August 13th demonstration!
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Astoria Fine Art features a Showcase of New Works by artist Jimmy Dyer. Show dates are August 5-14th, and and artist’s reception will be held at the gallery on Friday, August 12, 5-7:00 pm.
“Jimmy Dyer is dedicated to communicating through his art the beauty that he sees in life,” notes the gallery. “He has a knack for finding captivating landscapes and his colorful light-filled images represent timeless subjects from around the world. He believes it is important to paint directly from life to create art with integrity and energy, a practice he lives by today.” Dyer relishes the challenge of simultaneously capturening light, form, design, the magic of nature, and “the power of the human face and form.” But, says Dyer, his favorite natural element is sunlight. For this show, Dyer paints the Tetons, Snake River and Mount Moran basking in the glow of a hot Wyoming sun.
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New works by Ashley Collins are on exhibit at Diehl Gallery, August 13 – September 7, 2011. An artist’s reception takes place Saturday, August 13,
5-8:00 pm.
“Collins has surpassed both trend and time to create works which are distinct and carry an imprint which is instantly recognizabl,” says the gallery. “It is these very traits that have caused the price points to keep rising as more and more collectors drive prices. Collins has exhibited with Robert Rauschenberg, Jim Dine, Laddie Dill, Robert Motherwell, and others as her journey has progressed…into successful acquisition by collectors, dealers and museums worldwide.” Some sales proceeds benefit the Jackson Land Trust.
The Grand Teton Association’s Artists in the Environment series continues when Idaho-based artist Greta Gretzinger paints en plein air at Mormon Row, Grand Teton National Park, on Saturday, July 9, 2-5:00 pm. The event is free, and open to the public.
Greta Gretzinger is known for her large scale murals depicting wilderness landscapes and wildlife. She has painted in Jackson Hole and Idaho for more than 18 years, and is one of the area’s most beloved artists. Gretzinger’s lively and illustrative portraits of Western life appear in public spaces and local parks
across Idaho and Teton County. Gretzinger relishes painting on non-traditional surfaces. Trailers, garage doors, automobiles, and many an exterior wall have found new life as a result of her whimsical creativity. Gretzinger’s work leaves everyone smiling; her style is unmistakable. Incorporating a gentle joke and local personalities into her paintings is a hallmark.
“I particularly like to add a twist on traditional themes and subjects,” says the artist. Gretzinger’s “twists” are sparkling threads of color woven into Jackson’s fabric. Her vivid, celebratory murals adorn a variety of landmarks; many of her fans consider Gretzinger’s alley-length landscape mural behind Jackson’s Sundance Inn her masterpiece.
“I want to do a painting of Mormon Row as being populated by wildlife pioneers and homesteaders. The location is real, but the figures will be whimsical. I can’t wait! This demonstration will be lots of fun,” says Gretzinger.
“Artists in the Environment” is funded by the Grand Teton Association, an organization whose purpose is to promote appreciation, understanding and enjoyment of the Grand Teton National Park and the Greater Yellowstone Area. Free to all, viewers are invited to bring a chair and a snack; those who would like to are welcome to paint alongside the artist. Look for the “Artist Demonstration” banner!
Upcoming “Artists in the Environment” dates:
- Scott Christensen paints at The Cathedral Group on August 13, 2011
- Erin C. O’Connor paints at String Lake on September 10, 2011.
For more information, contact me, Tammy Christel, via email: tammy@jacksonholearttours.com. http://www.grandtetonpark.org
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September Vhay’s new collection of paintings, Alacrity, opens with an artist’s reception at Trio Fine Art on July 7th, 5 – 8:00 pm. Vhay will speak about the work 6:30-7:00 pm, and the exhibition remains on display through July 23,2011. Paintings and sketches are included in this show, and subject matter includes Georgia O’Keeffe inspired paintings and studies of orchids. And might Lee Carlman Riddell’s hummingbird studies have inspired Vhay’s own sketches of those zipping, capitvating birds? Look through her on-line sketchbook and you will see Vhay’s renderings of horses, orchids, dogs, otters, hummingbirds and more.
Trio Fine Art: 307.734.4444
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Factory Studios Open House Alert: The public is invited to an evening of art and music at Factory Headquarters, down on Gregory Lane. July 8 is the date, and the time is 6-9:00 pm. Good music by the Deadlocks, good mingling–hang out and meet Factory artist residents Abbie Miller, Aaron Wallis, Tony Birkholz, Peggy Prugh, Mark and Wade Dunstan, Camille Davis, XOWYO, Alissa Davies, and David Gonzalez (TreeFight!).
Jenny Meyer and other artists will exhibit work in the main gallery. Barring major rain delays Wimbleton will be over, but the Factory says attendees have the chance to play a little Wimbleton-style ping pong. Facebook Event page here.
Painter Greg McHuron will open the 2011 Grand Teton Association’s Artists in the Environment Plein Air Summer Series on Saturday, June 11. McHuron will give a public painting demonstration at Grand Teton National Park’s Chapel of the Transfiguration, 4-7:00 pm. The event is free and open to the public.
Plein air painter Greg McHuron co-founded the program with landscape artist Conrad Schwiering, and has been painting in the Western United States for over 35 years. Represented in galleries and museums throughout the West, he is a signature member of the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painter Association and Artists for Conservation.
McHuron’s masterful triskaidekatych mural, a 13-piece painting depicting the region’s wildlife and habitat, graces the walls of the Jackson Hole and Greater Yellowstone Visitor’s Center in Jackson, Wyoming. As viewers follow the mural, they can follow the footsteps of an elk herd on the run and imagine their trumpeting call. Wetland and riparian habitat are drenched in rust and honey browns of fall; waterfowl and moose partake of the stream, yellow aspens gobbling up
their horizons. An aspen grove, surveyed by a great horned owl and guarded by a bull elk. Climb into the sagebrush and grasslands, to the timberline and snowy cliffs where big horn sheep crest the mountain’s rise. At the pinnacle, snow buries all but a giant grizzly on top of the world, caught in purest sunlight and blue sky.
McHuron paints en plein air in locations ranging from northern Alaska to the Grand Canyon. His work is part of the National Museum of Wildlife Art’s permanent collection.
“I prefer painting…en plein air as the drama and excitement that occurs all around me is difficult to recreate in a studio environment,” notes McHuron. “When I paint the rapidly changing scenes, I put into each of them the feelings and excitement that I felt while watching the scene unfold. Years of watching, analyzing and learning from nature’s school ground has helped me to understand the interrelations between organic and inorganic entities and how different lighting, seasons and locations affect how they look and react. If I can capture that particular feeling, I know that those viewing my works will come to feel some of the emotions and excitement that motivated my wanting to record this particular fleeting moment.”
I will be on hand to moderate the event. See you there!
For information, contact Tammy Christel: tammy@jacksonholearttours.com. Grand Teton Association: 307.739.3606
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The National Musuem of Wildlife Art’s 2011 Out of the Box Show takes place June 24, 2011. Doors will open at 5:30 pm, and the auction begins at 7:00 pm. A display of boxes up for sale is on exhibit beginning Saturday, June 11, 2011, in the Museum’s Wapiti Gallery. Auction proceeds benefit the Museum’s educational programs. Light hors d’oeuvres, cash bar and prizes. www.wildlifeart.org
The Grand Teton Association’s Summer 2011 Artists in the Environment Plein Air Summer Series schedule is set. Beginning Saturday, June 11, 2011 and continuing each second Saturday in July, August, and September, the series offers the public an opportunity to join noted plein air painters as they capture the beauty that is Grand Teton National Park. This year’s artists are Greg McHuron, Greta Gretzinger, Scott Christensen and Erin C. O’Connor.
Look for those artists in these locations this summer:
Greg McHuron~
Date: June 11, 2011
Location: Chapel of Transfiguration
Time: 4:00 – 7:00 pm
Plein air painter Greg McHuron co-founded “Artists in the Environment” with landscape artist Conrad Schwiering, and has been painting in the Western United States for over 35 years. Represented in galleries and museums throughout the West, he is a signature member of the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painter Association and Artists for Conservation. McHuron’s latest book, Birds of Sage and Scree, co-authored with Jackson ornithologist Bert Raynes, illustrates and explores bird species native to the sage and scree of America’s West.
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Greta Gretzinger~
Date: July 9, 2011
Location: Mormon Row
Time: 2:00-5:00 pm
Greta Gretzinger is known for her large scale murals depicting wilderness landscapes and wildlife. Based in Idaho and the Jackson Hole area, Gretzinger’s lively and illustrative portraits of Western life appear in public spaces and local parks throughout the region.
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Scott Christensen~
Date: August 13, 2011
Location: Cathedral Group
Time: 2:00-5:00 pm
One of the country’s most distinguished plein air artists, Scott Christensen’s work is part of Grand Teton National Park’s Craig Thomas Visitors’ Center prestigious permanent collection. Christensen’s paintings are included in significant national venues, such as the National Academy of Western Art, Prix de West Invitational at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, OK, the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, OK, National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, WY, Denver Art Museum, Kimbal Museum, Salmagundi Club in New York, Autry Museum, and the Salon d’ Arts at the Colorado History Museum.
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Erin C. O’Connor~
Date: September 10, 2011
Location: String Lake
Time: 2:00-5:00 pm
Artist Erin C. O’Connor finds her greatest inspiration by painting directly within the environment. Noted for her participation in many prestigious Plein Air events, she is represented in collections and exhibits throughout the country. O’Connor was awarded the 2009 Joshua Tree National Park “Artist-in-Residency” post.
For more information, contact….moi! Tammy Christel. tammy@jacksonholearttours.com 307.690.1983