How painting en plein air has improved my studio work.

         After many years of getting in and out of the art business I was finally able to look back and understand why I would quit the business to pursue other interest when I did. As a child and young man, my Dad and I spent many days in the outdoors either hunting whitetail deer, turkeys or fishing. I grew to love the outdoors and even when I reached  adulthood made hunting and fishing a priority. As you may also know my Dad was an artist and raised us kids to be artist as well. I spent many hours with him painting or going on art trips to take photographs or to paint on location. I never painted outdoors much after that and would contain my art work to the studio, always gazing out the window and wishing I were out hunting or fishing. As I grew more and more bored with the idea of being inside the studio would be the times that I would just quit the art business for a while. 

        I was re-introduced to painting en plein air about five years ago and soon found a way to combine being in the great outdoors with my art business. I have never been more happy and excited to be painting in my entire life. I have found that painting en plein air had also helped my studio painting tremendously. I have now learned to "SEE" as an impressionist sees and have learned to adapt so many plein air methods to my studio work. I would highly suggest any artist experience painting en plein air to further improve their knowledge and painting methods. 

       The painting "The Red Barnes of Mt View Valley" is a studio painting done from studies and photo's. The painting is 30x40 on re-painted canvas and is available fro Craig Reynolds Studio.......... $4500.00