Modern artist Henri Matisse didn’t paint en plein air – not in the way we think of it anyway. He did, however, write, “An artist must possess nature.” And this short and sweet sentence holds [...]

According to Brueghel when Icarus fell it was spring  a farmer was ploughing his field the whole pageantry  of the year was awake tingling with itself  sweating in the sun that melted the wings' wax  [...]

Several populous cities in the United States and Europe have announced a coordinated effort to discourage plein air painting in urban settings, citing safety concerns and “an abundance of caution.” “We are acting to quell [...]

Landscape artist John Hughes shares a simple way of getting the right colors without memorizing elaborate theories. By John Hughes Mixing Color Intuitively Using Triads During instructor demonstrations, a typical question that is often asked by [...]

Figurative realists Sara and Shane Scribner share their inspiration: Sara, for her “Nightfall” series of paintings of women who have found a place of calm and introspection within the looming nightfall; and Shane, for his [...]

At the southern end of the Appalachian Mountains, nestled between Tennessee and North Carolina, lie the Great Smoky Mountains. A natural mist lingers over them, giving them their iconic appearance and their name. Great Smoky [...]

Landscape painters often say their paintings capture “a sense of place.”  It’s an intriguing phrase when you think about it. It’s most often understood to mean that, in an age where cameras can (and do!) [...]

For their own reasons, some artists or writers disguise their work with a pseudonym. Most of the time, it’s a made-up name, not one “borrowed” from a real person. This artist was different. French realist [...]

Just like the lingering end of winter and the painfully gradual arrival of spring, sometimes your muse can seem like a slacker. It’s great to shake yourself out of the daily daze with a vacation [...]

By Allison Malafronte There is a lot of superb contemporary realism and figurative art being made these days; this article by Allison Malafronte shines light on a gifted individual. The Dutch artist Nick Willems (b. [...]