Ed Terpening: Observations on Plein Air Painting

San Luis Obispo Marsh
16" x 20" Oil on Linen (sold)
First Place, San Luis Obispo Plein Air, 2006

One of my favourite bloggers is Ed Terpening - winner in 2006 of my "Plein Air Painting Plus Prize" for excellence in plein air painting and a commitment to sharing information. Ed has recently started a series of 10 Observations on Plein Air Painting.

"Observation 1: To Move, Be Moved" has been posted and starts with the following quotes

A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not art. Emotion is the starting point, the beginning and the end. Craftsmanship and technique are in the middle.” - Paul Cezanne.

“When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece.” John Ruskin (1819 - 1900)

He comments on the difficulties of explaining the act of committing emotion to canvas and

• how communicating emotion starts with composition
• the balance between the head and the heart in painting
  

It's a good read - I recommend it.

Note: Painting the diverse, dynamic California landscape “en plein air” (in one sitting, on location) is Ed Terpening's passion. Ed is based in northern California, has extensive internet development experience with leading companies and now works part-time as a professional blogger and part-time as a professional artist with a particular interest in plein air painting. He posts regularly to his blog "Life Plein Air" which contains lots of informative posts about his various plein air painting trips, the plein air paint-outs and competitions he participates in and workshops taken. Ed exhibits on a regular basis and is a prize-winning painter. You can view his paintings here - judge for yourself!

Links:

• 10 Observations of Plein Air Painting: Intro
• Observation 1: To Move, Be Moved
• Ed Terpening - website
• Ed Terpening - bio
  

Technorati tags: art, landscape painting, painting, plein air, plein air painting,