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Both plein air and studio painting are important to me. Ultimately, the goal of my work is to communicate with the viewer. I can achieve this both in studio works and in plein air paintings. But each has its purposes and limitations. I'll list some of the pros and cons of each here.

Plein Air Painting 

Pros

• I am responding to the scene at the precise time I am inspired by it

• The response is an emotional response

• I am experiencing the scene with all of my senses

• Limited time results is identifying the important elements of the scene and eliminating the superfluous details

• Fresh, spontaneous paintings full of life

• I can see the accurate color and value relationships

• I can see atmosphere and can capture what is really happening in any weather condition

• There is 360º worth of information to borrow from

• I love being outside - especially away from civilization

Cons

• Too much visual stimuli - it can often be overwhelming, hard to focus, and it's easy to put too much in the painting

• Also, with so much visual stimuli, it can be difficult to understand what elements of the scene I am inspired by

• Limited time can sometimes result in an unfinished painting

• With so much visual information, and with such limited time, it is common to have a less-thought-out design

• Weather can sometimes be an issue for some, though I enjoy painting in all weather conditions

• Distractions from whatever is going on where you are painting

Ironically, each of the cons comes from the very points that I consider pros. This is, in part, where studio work fits in.

Studio Painting

Pros

• I can improve a plein air painting that didn't work

• I can use the plein air as inspiration for a new idea that didn't occur to me in the field

• I can explore other ideas, emotions, or themes in my work; using the landscape as a metaphor 

• I can rearrange the composition to be more expressive or powerful based upon the idea I want to convey

• I can push colors or values to likewise be more expressive

• Time enough to work through all these things and finish the painting

• Paintings can be more refined

• Can employ more painting techniques than is possible en plein air - chosing the appropriate technique to convey the idea

• Comfort

• Music helps me get into the zone

Cons

• Too much time - it is easy to take a painting too far

• As a result, it is easy to loose the sponaneous, fresh look that gives a painting life

• I must rely solely on memory, imagination, and plein air/photo references - I am one step removed from what inspired me about the scene in the first place

• As a result, especially if I don't tap into my memory and imagination, there can easily be too much reliance upon photos and/or merely trying to enlarge a plein air study

• Distractions from other tasks

• I dislike being couped up indoors

I now no longer care if I have finished plein air paintings. When I do get one that I consider finished, that is icing on the cake. But my approach is to simply respond emotionally, capture the true colors, light, value, atmosphere, etc. And then move on to another scene to paint.

When I am in the studio, I look through my plein air studies and photographs until I get a spark of an idea. I then create several thumbnails to explore the various ways to interpret the idea. I will often use 4 or 5 plein air studies to inform me when working on a single studio piece (as was the case with the painting, Provo River Autumn, above). Sometimes they closely resemble the original plein air. Sometimes they are drastically different. But each studio piece is an expression and is seldom simply an enlargement of a plein air piece.

My new instructional DVD - From Plein Air to Studio illustrates my process.

For more info and to order your copy, click here.

Free shipping offer valid through the end of May, so don't delay.

The "experiment" part of the post comes at the end - you won't want to miss it!

I often create my studio pieces from a combination of plein air and photographic references. I will do several thumbnails to work out compositional ideas. On occasion, when I am making significant compositional changes I will test the thumbnail ideas out in a full color, painted study. They are usually rough and unfinished. But that's okay. They serve simply as an aid - an intermediate step - in my painting process.

Some of these little studies become gems in their own right. This painting is one of those occasions.

Study for Autumn Flow by Keith Bond. 6 x 12 oil on mounted linen. © Keith Bond 2011

Compare it to the finished studio painting.

Autumn Flow by Keith Bond. 8 x 16 oil on mounted linen. © Keith Bond 2011

You will notice that I cleaned up the colors a bit. I also added another grouping of pine trees in the middle ground on the right side of the painting. There is more depth in the final version. And I changed the contours of the river bank to be more interesting. But, there are also a few things I like better about the study. One example is the top left corner of the painting. I like the design of the golden willows and pines in the study better than the finished painting.

But, each painting can stand on its own.

The final version, Autumn Flow, sold at a miniature show at Trailside Galleries in Jackson, WY in 2011. As with most of my studies, I held on to the study for the past couple years.

But, since it is such a gem of a little painting, I decided to offer it for sale.

But, I'm going to try a bit of an experiment. I'm going to auction this painting off. Since it is a rough study, and since the size is so small, I thought it would be interesting to offer it through an auction process on my website - just to see what happens. If it works out great for everyone, I may do it again with other studies.

The study is offered unframed.

So, if you would like to own this little paint (remember it's the "Study" that is for sale, not the final painting), you may bid on it by replying in the "comments" section.

Here's how we will do this:

Minimum bid: $100. Yep, that's it to get started. We'll see where it goes from there.

Bidding increments: $50.

There is no reserve price. Highest bid will get the painting.

Bids are open to public view and you can receive notice of comments or bids by others.

You are also welcome to use the comments section to make comments even if you don't bit. But, heck, with such a low price, why not bid and add this little gem to your collection.

Bidding closes: Saturday, May 18, 10 pm Mountain Daylight Time.

Once the bidding closes, I will email the winning bidder and make payment and shipping arrangements.

The painting will be unframed.

Oh, by the way, I usually sell paintings this size for $700 (unframed price).

Good luck and have fun! I hope YOU win the bid and get the painting!

The bidding is now closed. Congrats to the winning bidder, Karen B.!

Many artists seem to do their greatest work in solitude. To get into the zone - where intuition, skill, emotion, and exploration all come together in the art of creating - by definition almost mandates being alone. We work from within and can easily lose that zone of creativity with distractions.

That being said, there is also a need for balance. Artists must also engage in the world. We must nurture relationships and share experiences.

One such activity, which is good on occasion, is to paint with other artists. 

Yesterday, I spent the day plein air painting with a few friends - there were about 10 of us. It was one of the most inspiring plein air outings I've had in a while. Partially because of the beautiful weather and location. But, equally important is the inspiration that comes from seeing the varied approaches and voices of so many great artists - each of whom I admire.

There are pros and cons to painting with others and I'll list a few here.

Cons:

- Painting location may not be where you want to paint

- Chatting with friends instead of painting

- Wandering over to see what others are painting instead of working on your painting

- Interruptions from others who have come to see what you are painting

Pros:

- Opportunity to try something new (location, subject, lighting condition, etc.)

- Chatting with friends - aside from the social benefits, conversations often lead to enlightening art topics or conversations about shows, events, galleries, business, marketing, etc.

- Wandering over to see what others are painting - this can be very inspiring and enlightening; it also gives you a break so that you can return to your painting with fresh eyes

- Interruptions from others who have wandered over to see what you are painting - they will often offer words of much needed encouragement and praise

- Safety in numbers - danger isn't always an issue, but there are times when it might be; for example extremely remote areas, dangerous neighborhoods, etc.

(There are probably other pros and cons - feel free to share the ones I've missed).

As you can see by the list, most of the cons are also pros. Whether they are pros or cons will depend in large measure upon what you hope to accomplish and your temperament.

Yesterday there were only pros for me. Although the location was very appealing to me, I would have normally not stayed to paint during the flat light of mid day if I was alone. Being with friends gave me opportuinity to paint during mid day. And I learned some things during that painting. I grew as an artist.

Also, I enjoyed chatting and reconnecting with friends (and making a few new friendships). And this did not effect my productivity at all. I was able to complete 4 plein air studies yesterday. A couple of the paintings were done side by side with some of the other artists. There was a lot of joking and bantering back and forth - as well as a lot of encouragement.

I enjoyed seeing what other artists were working on. I always learn something and gain a lot of inspiration from seeing other artists at work.

And I don't get bothered by the other artists wandering over to see what I am doing. And I hope they felt the same about me. :)

While it is true that some people will come up and talk and talk and never leave (I've seen both artists and non-artists do this), that never happened with this group. We respect each other's need to focus on the task at hand. Our visits were brief and most of us were able to continue working even during the visits.

I don't get out as often as I would like with other artists. But when I do, I always enjoy it. It isn't something you can or should do all the time. You need to spend time on your own working. But painting with friends is something that you should consider doing on occasion. For me, they are filled only with pros. Maybe I've just been lucky. But I don't think so.

Share your comments - pros, cons, experiences, etc.

I am planning a new series of blog posts introducing you to artists you should know. I begin this series with a friend of mine, Dave Santillanes.

Near Yaki Point by Dave Santillanes. 12 x 16 oil. © Dave Santillanes. Used by permission.

The work of Dave Santillanes appeals to me on several levels.

First and foremost, you can feel his deep connection to the subject. He sees and feels and responds to the landscape with great insight. It shines through his work and touches me as a viewer. This is the most important characteristic of any artist I admire - the authenticity of their voice as an artist.

But, even beyond that, he has the technical ability to show me what he sees and feels as an artist, and better yet, why. And as for technical ability, he is one of the best artists out there. Through his technical prowess, Dave is able to distill the scene down to the essence of place. When viewing his work you get a sense that you are discovering the significance of that landscape. There is a familiarity in truth, and his paintings reveal both.

Dave's work is about finding the underlying truth and relationships found in the larger abstract masses. The strength of his work lies in the arrangement of shapes. The integrity of the shapes are maintained through economy of detail. Everything superfluous is eliminated.

Trail Ridge by Dave Santillanes. 20 x 30 oil. © Dave Santillanes. Used by Permission

Few artists capture depth and atmosphere as well as Dave. His keen sense of color and value enable him to render paintings that breathe with space and depth.

I also admire the way he handles the paint itself. Unfortunately, the online images don't completely reveal the sensitivity of his brushwork. When viewing his work in person, his distinctive style becomes evident. His brushwork is placed with confidence, but it doesn't become flashy. He mingles passages of transparent and opaque pigment on a smooth surface to create a luminosity to his work.

Oak Creek Passage by Dave Santillanes. 12 x 16 oil. © Dave Santillanes. Used by permission

While the application of the individual strokes of paint don't distract from the larger composition, they are employed masterfully to tell part of the story. And for those of you who delight in such things, his brushwork is a feast for the eyes.

Dave is quickly becoming a major player in the art scene. He has received many awards and continues to wow artists and collectors alike. Whether you are an artist or a collector, he is certainly an artist you should know and follow.

Visit his website: www.dasanti.com

Stare at the dot in the center of the video for about 30 seconds. Yes, 30 seconds is longer than you think. Keep staring. Suddenly it will come into color - or is it gray?

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qA2brNUo7WA?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

If the video isn't displayed, click this link:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/qA2brNUo7WA?rel=0

This is an optical illusion with color. The first 30 - or so - seconds of the video shows a pale photo somewhat reminiscent of film negatives (remember those). Remember, just stare at the dot in the center and continue to stare once you notice a change...

The video switches to grayscale. But our mind sees the gray image in full color until our eyes (and brain) begin to register that it is really gray. The colors you see are the complementary colors to the colors displayed during the first half of the video.

Fascinating! 

James Gurney had a link to this video from his "Gurney Journey" blog.  

Jewels at My Feet

To borrow a few lines from one of Rick Springfield's songs from way back in the 1980's:

The one who seeks to pluck the stars

Will miss the jewels at his feet

I will come back to that thought in a moment. But first an experience.

Recently, I was painting in Teton National Park. Those of you who have been there know how majestic the mountain peaks are. They stand in rugged majesty, dominating the surrounding valley. It is about 7,000 vertical feet from the valley floor to the top of Grand Teton Peak (which stands at 13,776 ft or 4,199 m). It is impossible to be in the valley and not feel awe at the mountain's grandeur.

So enamouring is the view, that much of the subtler beauty of the valley is left unnoticed by many. Remove the Teton range and the valley still boasts magnificent beauty - scenery worthy of recognition. It is very possible to paint a million paintings in the valley even without ever painting the Tetons. Yet, most of the paintings from the area depict the iconic mountain range. And certainly, millions of visitors from around the world have essentially the same photographs.

They are missing the jewels at their feet.

Don't get me wrong - the Tetons are worthy of recognition, worthy of awe, worthy of respect. They are worthy of being depicted in paint and on film. I have painted them.

Even still, all too often, the most precious jewels (in terms of subject matter for an artist) are overlooked because of the dominance of the peaks.

© 2012, by Keith Bond, Schwabacher Landing (plein air), 12 x 16, oil on mounted linen

This painting, Schwabacher Landing, is a statement of the significance and worth of the often overlooked motifs - motifs in the shadow of those that command so much attention. Yes, the Tetons are in the background of this painting, but they are subordinate in this scene. The cluster of trees, fallen timber, and brush take center stage. There is beauty in these humble objects. There is beauty in their interaction and relation to one another.

I could have jumped out of my car and begun painting the obvious scene in front of me. No doubt, the peaks would have dominated the painting. But, I took the time to walk up and down the shoreline of the small side-channel of the mighty Snake River. I observed; I wondered; I pondered; I felt.

Exploring, pausing, retracing steps, pausing again - I began to gain the deeper significance of my surroundings. I began to recognize and hear the quiet, profound message of a landscape that must compete against the shout of the peaks.

Their message was a jewel at my feet worthy of my expression.

Take any scene, anywhere in the world, and there will be the obvious or dominant view that would seem like stars worthy of plucking. But take the time to observe and feel and connect to your surroundings, and you will begin to notice the jewels at your feet. Whether you are an artist or not, the next time you find yourself in nature, discover those jewels. They are far more precious.

Best Wishes,

Keith Bond

If you wish to add this jewel to your collection, contact me here or telephone me at 435.512.0247. This painting is $2000 and is framed in a beautiful, 22k gold, hand-crafted frame.

By now, many of you have heard about the voracious wildfire burning west of Fort Collins, Colorado. The High Park fire is (at the time of this posting) blazing uncontrollably. It began Saturday morning, about 6 am. Today, 2 1/2 days later, the fire is about 37,000 acres and zero percent contained. Many structures have been lost - one report indicated 18 while another had a number of 100. It is impossible to really know right now.

© 2009 Keith Bond. View From Rist Canyon, 8 x 10 oil.

This painting was done right in the heart of the burning area. Historical Stove Prairie School is less than a mile down the hill from this spot. Several years ago, Richard Schmid lived somewhere in this area. Stove Praire Press, which he founded, is named after the area. He also founded the Richard Schmid Art Auction as a fundraiser for the volunteer fire department in the area.

© 2010 Keith Bond. Mountain Meadows, 9 x 12 oil.

This painting was done a few miles north of the current area affected by the fire, but it is indicative of much of the terrrain and vegitation. Meadows with dry grass, dry trees - many dead from a current pine beetle infestation, mixed area of private and public land. Many homes are in the area and the fire is quickly spreading closer and closer to more heavily populated areas.

Conditions are currently such, that this fire could easily become much more catastrophic.

My heart and prayers go out to those whose homes are in the area. I personally know a handful of people who have had to evacuate. And I know a few others who are on evacuation standby.

"Her green plastic watering can

For her fake Chinese rubber plant

In the fake plastic earth"

These are the first lines of the song "Fake Plastic Trees" by Radiohead. The song goes on to talk about fake societal ideals, fake people, fake relationships, etc. And in the chorus is the sentiment: "It wears her (him/me) out."

Yes, we do live in a world where much is fake. We live in a world where much seems to be molded polystyrene - even people (to borrow another thought from the song).

But, it's refreshing to know that not everything is fake or plastic or from a mold. Much in this world is real and genuine and unique. Original art is one of those things.

I enjoy the real and the genuine. I love family. I love nature and I love art.

In a world where so much of what we consume is disposable and mass produced, there is a greater and greater need for things that last. There's a need for things that have real value. Objects that aren't mass produced, but rather are crafted with care. Things of beauty. Things of art.

Look around many people's homes. Many have mass produced disposable prints that speak nothing more than "I match the couch." Some have original and unique works of art that speak to them on deeper levels. Some hang prints that will fade and need to be replaced when they buy a new couch or paint the walls.

What about you? Do you have works of beauty, created by passionate hands, that has a palpable spirit which enriches your home?

Don't get me wrong. Not all prints are bad and not all original art is good. But, I'm speaking of the broader philosophy.

You are reading this because you do seek out things of beauty. You do seek out things that have deeper meaning. You enrich your life with things that speak to you.

It doesn't matter if you have just arrived at this point or if you have been here your entire life. It doesn't matter if you own hundreds of original works of art or if you are saving up to buy your first piece. The point is you are here because you know the value that art brings (or can bring) to your life.

Whether it is handmade jewelry, a hand-turned wooden vase, a quilt, handcrafted furniture, or an original painting (mine of course!) - when something speaks to you, you know it. You feel it. Those are the works you should bring into your home. They can add meaning to your life.

They won't replace real and genuine relationships. But, they will replace the fake plastic trees. They will enrich your life.

Best Wishes,

Keith Bond