PleinAir Magazine June/July 2020
Get your PleinAir Magazine digital subscription today and join tens of thousands of artists and collectors who have joined a new plein air movement. Rooted in a deep history, each bi-monthly issue, edited by Kelly Kane, chronicles important events and spotlights today’s master artists, their techniques, the collectors who follow them, as well as the historic artists who came before them.
in this issue
plein air heritage
Considered one of the most important California Scene Painters (a group of American regionalists who flourished from the 1920s to 1960s), Rex Brandt (1914-2000) created joyful plein air paintings that perfectly conveyed the feel of mid-century Southern California. Though he dabbled in gouache and oil, as well as printmaking and etching, he preferred watercolor for its portability and the speed at which he could work. Drawing from a variety of influences, he incorporated the bold colors of Latino murals and the spontaneity of Japanese landscapes in his watercolors. Of painting outdoors, Brandt said, “Have you ever noticed, you sit down alongside a stable, and the first thing you get is this awful smell. You’re painting this barn, but what you smell will change the colors you use in the barn. And…
burning questions about plein air
Every day since the start of the coronavirus self-quarantine, I’ve been going live on Facebook (Streamline Art Video) and other social media with an update for our friends in the art world. In each broadcast, I’ve tried to lift the spirits of the hundreds — sometimes thousands — of viewers, keep everyone busy and focused on growing and learning something new, and inspire people to get looming projects done. After all, we may never have an opportunity like this again. In these broadcasts, I also preview the “Artist of the Day” video segments we air live at 3 p.m. (Eastern Time) each day, and an amazing thing happened … the world watched. Between our daily Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram live broadcasts, we’ve had artists from around the globe reach out. Probably 60…
in the meantime
As the coronavirus brought the world to a near standstill, the arts, like many communities, were hit hard. But beneath the adversity and anxiety, we find stories of resilience, creativity, and determination. Our special feature “Art in the Time of COVID-19” offers a taste of how artists have been responding to the crisis, documenting this period for history and finding new ways to stay connected to collectors, fellow painters, and their creative wellspring. In this issue, we’ve also devoted special coverage to watercolor painting and collecting. Comparable in range and variety to any other medium, today’s artist-grade watercolors bear little resemblance to the small oval cakes you loved as a child. Made by mixing pigments with a binder, usually gum arabic, watercolor is applied with brush and water to paper. The…
watercolor showcase
RADHIKA SRINIVAS Devon, Pennsylvania A Grey Day at the Philly Navy Yard, 21 x 18 in., watercolor Available through the artist sradhika13@yahoo.com | www.radhikasrinivas.com JAMES FAECKE Madison, Wisconsin Light and Vapor, 14 x 18 in., watercolor Available through the artist jim@jamesfaecke.com | 608.556.6422 | www.jamesfaecke.com RICHARD B. HENRY Endicott, New York Pasto Lavender Farm 8 1/2 x 3 1/4 in., watercolor Available through the artist 607.754.0535 www.richardhenryfineart.com LAURIN MCCRACKEN Fort Worth, Texas Still Life with Silver 28 x 40 in., watercolor laurinmc@aol.com 817.773.2163 www.lauringallery.com STEWART WHITE Easton, Maryland Crash, 16 x 12 in., watercolor Available through the artist stewhite30@mac.com | stewartwhitestudios.com Represented by Trippe Gallery, Easton, MD; McBride Gallery, Annapolis, MD; Y-Art Gallery, Balitmore, MD. BARBARA TAPP Kensington, California SS Red Oak Victory, 12 x 16 in., watercolor Available dieselbt@aol.com | 510.520.8383 | www.barbaratappartist.com Represented by Holton Framers & Studio Gallery, Berkeley, CA. TIFFANIE MANG San Diego, California Sunday Afternoon Beers 6 x 6 in., gouache on cold…
planes, trains, and automobiles
From the shiny chrome on a vintage automobile to the vibrant colors of a graffiti-covered train car or the linear wing structure of a small airplane, it’s no wonder that vehicles prove to be such appealing subjects for artists. But planes, trains, and automobiles are more than the sum of their parts. These harbingers of adventure represent freedom, ignite feelings of nostalgia, and tap into our romantic notions of travel and exploration.…
art in the time of covid-19
When citizens of one country after another sheltered in place to protect their vulnerable neighbors, the whole world hit the pause button. Savvy artists turned the unprecedented challenge into a unique opportunity — to explore new subject matter, new techniques, or new styles of painting; to adjust their business plans; and to find new ways to stay creative and connected to one another and the world. KELLY KANE is editor-in-chief of PleinAir. RICHIE VIOS HONORING THOSE ON THE FRONTLINES For me, competing in the Lighthouse ArtCenter’s Plein Air Festival in Palm Beach, Florida, in mid-March marked the last days when the world felt normal. Shortly after, everything began to break loose. COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, and events I had scheduled into June began to cancel. When I got home, I took a weeklong corona-cation…
