Filling Fast - Tubac School of Fine Art Painting Workshop

Artist friends, my painting workshop this fall at the Tubac School Of Fine Art is filling fast, so register now to secure your spot.

Click here for more information, and to sign up:
https://bit.ly/Patrick-Saunders-Tubac-Workshop

Join me October 15th - 17th in Tubac, Arizona to explore the essential techniques for painting from direct observation and photography. I can teach you to paint any subject, from the most simple to complex, with one approach.

Each day begins with a short lecture and full demonstration, followed by one-on-one instruction. My class is highly tailored for each participant, so beginners as well as advanced artists are welcome.

 

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

SOLD - "Bombabil" Floral Painting - Driggs Digs Plein Air Festival

I'm so pleased that this floral painting is off to a good home with a new collector tonight after selling at the Driggs Digs Plein Air Festival.

It was a pleasure to teach a workshop in this beautiful part of the country, and an honor to judge Driggs Plein Air again this year.

Congratulations to all of the award winners, and to every artist who participated. It was a hot, smoky week for outdoor painting, and all of you persevered and did amazing work.

 

“Bombadil” • Oil on Linen • 12” x 16” • Private Collection

 

Reference and painting photos by Saunders Fine Arts

 

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

July 2021 Art Newsletter - Prioritizing Color Over Value

When the values are too close to provide the drama you need in your painting, color takes the spotlight.

If you haven’t already, sign up now for my latest art newsletter to find out how color saturation and color temperature can provide both form and depth in your paintings.

http://bit.ly/PSFA-Newsletter-Sign-up

 

 

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

2021 Driggs Digs Plein Air Festival - Quick Draw Awards

Congratulations to the winners of the Quick Draw today at the Driggs Digs Plein Air Festival.

I think it's important for competition judges to provide the rationale behind their choices, because evaluating art isn't simply a subjective endeavor.

Great art conveys emotion as well as technical ability, and these pieces did just that. Go to the Downtown Driggs Facebook and Instagram pages to see photos of the quick draw award winners.

 

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Art Review - "Echo" by Ellen Thesleff

Today's #museumtourtuesday features a piece by Finnish painter Ellen Thesleff. Considered as one of the leading Finnish modernist painters, Thesleff initially studied at the Finnish Art Society Drawing School, before moving to Paris at the age of 22.

What I find fascinating about this piece is the placement of values. The darkest darks are are located in the trees, and yet they don't distract from the girl's head, which utilizes only midtones. It's the value contrast of the bright sky surrounding the head that maintains its position as the focal point.

 

"Echo" • Ellen Thesleff • Oil on Canvas • 24" x 17 1/8" • 1891

 

 

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Group Photo - Plein Air Painting Workshop - Driggs Digs Plein Air Festival

My thanks to this great group for plein air painting with me this week. You came ready to work, and we had a good time together too. My thanks also to the owners of the beautiful property where we painted, which offered plenty of inspiration for all, and to the organizers of Downtown Driggs Idaho for bringing me to your lovely town for this class, and to judge the Driggs Plein Air Festival this year.

Now remember everybody, paint what moves you, what you personally are drawn to, whether you are painting for yourself or for a competition. If your subject really means something to you, it shows, and that makes all the difference in the world. When you follow your own muse, you can never go wrong, because you will always end up with something that is important to you, and that is ultimately what matters most.

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Floral Demonstration Painting - Day Two - Driggs Digs Plein Air Festival Plein Air Painting Workshop

My floral demonstration painting this morning on day two of my plein air painting workshop for the Driggs Plein Air Festival.

 

“Daisies Study” • Oil on Linen • 12" x 16" • 1.5 Hours • Available

 

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Driggs Digs Plein Air Painting Workshop - Plein Air Baby

Meet Elise, my youngest ever painting workshop attendee. Her mother, artist Sharon McMillan, is a serious multitasker, juggling a five-month-old and my plein air workshop this week for the Downtown Driggs Driggs Plein Air Festival (Dad helped a lot too).

Elise was very interested in her mother's painting - a great piece, by the way - but refused to hold a paint brush when offered, so perhaps she’ll grow up to be an art critic? :)  #pleinairbaby

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Landscape Painting Demonstration - Day One - Driggs Plein Air Festival Painting Workshop

My landscape demonstration painting this morning on day one of my plein air painting workshop for the Downtown Driggs Idaho’s Driggs Plein Air Festival.

 

“Aspens Study” • Oil on Linen • 12" x 16" • 1.5 Hours • Available

 

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Dog Portrait - "Angel" the Pit Bull Terrier

We’ve had a hectic couple of weeks with the Plein Air Easton Competition and Arts Festival, and now traveling across the country for Driggs Plein Air. Once things calm a bit, I’m looking forward to working on a number of dog portrait commissions. Dogs are still one of my favorite subjects due to their individuality and expression.

Here’s one from 2018 that I still love.

 

"Angel" • Oil on Linen • 16" x 20" • Available at www.PatrickSaunders.com

Reference and painting photos by Saunders Fine Arts.

 

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

2022 Booth Art Academy Painting Workshops

Georgia artist friends, I will be returning to the Booth Western Art Museum’s Booth Art Academy next spring for two painting workshops.

On May 1st - 3rd, 2022, I will teach my Painting Without Borders class, and on May 4th - 6th, I will teach another Dynamic Floral In Oils workshop.

Early registration is now open, so click on either link below for more information, or to sign up:

https://bit.ly/Patrick-Saunders-Booth-Museum-Workshop-2022
https://bit.ly/Patrick-Saunders-Booth-Museum-Floral-Workshop-2022

 

 

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Art Review - "Smoke on the Paris Circuit Line" by Luigi Loir

Today's #museumtourtuesday features an exceptional work by Luigi Loir in the collection of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow.

While the artist carefully renders multiple elements throughout the painting, such as the horses, the textures of the street and various figures passing through the scene, it is the smoke that captures our attention. Loir accomplishes this through a subtle shift in color temperature. The smoke is ever so slightly cooler and bluer than the surrounding scene, making it the center of attention. Masterfully done.

 

"Smoke on the Paris Circuit Line" • Luigi Loir • 1885 • Oil

 

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

2021 Plein Air Easton Paintings

It was great to be back for the Plein Air Easton Competition and Arts Festival again this year.

I am truly honored to have been a juried artist in this great event for six years now. I’m taking a break from plein air competitions, and I could not have asked for a better way to finish my event experience than with what is truly the premier plein air painting festival in the country.

I always looked forward to PAE, because the talented and professional Avalon Staff and volunteers work so hard to make this event such a wonderful and positive experience for each and every artist. My deepest heartfelt thanks to all of you. I also want to thank event judge Daniel Weiss, president of the The Metropolitan Museum of Art, for my Small Painting Sunday award. 

I am so grateful to have been a part of PAE. Some of my best plein air painting memories of all time have happened in Talbot County.
 

”Cozy" • Oil on Linen • 6" x 8" • Private Collection

• Winner, 2nd Place, Small Painting Sunday

”Dusk In Saint Michaels" • Oil on Linen • 18" x 24" • Private Collection

”Dusk In Saint Michaels" • Oil on Linen • 18" x 24" • Private Collection

 

”Bay Breeze" • Oil on Linen • 18" x 24" • Available at The Trippe Gallery

”Dance of the Magnolia" • Oil on Linen • 12" x 16" • Private Collection

“Tidewater Mandevilla” • 9” x 12” • Oil on Linen • Private Collection

Painting photos by Saunders Fine Arts.

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Small Painting Sunday Submission - Plein Air Easton

One last piece to share for the Plein Air Easton Competition and Arts Festival.

The heat kicked in hard for the second half of the festival, so I painted this small interior for my Small Painting Sunday submission. There's a perfect time of day when the light spills into this window just right.

 

"Cozy" • Oil on Linen • 6" x 8" • Available at Plein Air Easton

 

Painting photo by Saunders Fine Arts. 

 

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Landscape Painting - "Bay Breeze" - Plein Air Easton

Easton is known for its scorching July weather, and this morning's quick draw was a hot one, but there were times this week when temperatures were actually mild enough at times that you could sit outside and enjoy cool breezes off of the Chesapeake Bay.

"Bay Breeze" • Oil on Linen • 18" x 24" • Available at Plein Air Easton

Painting photo by Saunders Fine Arts.

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Quick Draw Floral Painting - Plein Air Easton

It was a pretty hot morning, so I painted a mandevilla plant in the shade at The Tidewater Inn for the quick draw today at the Plein Air Easton Competition and Arts Festival.

 

“Tidewater Mandevilla” • PAE Quick Draw • 9” x 12” • Oil on Linen
• Available at Plein Air Easton

 

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Floral Paintings - Plein Air Easton

Painting sales this week at the Plein Air Easton Competition and Arts Festival opened up two spots on my wall in their new Art Exhibition And Sale, so these floral paintings will be available Sunday morning at the Waterfowl Building.

 

“Bombadil” • Oil on Linen • 12” x 16” • Available at Plein Air Easton

 

"Bunches" • Oil on Linen • 9" x 12" • Available at Plein Air Easton

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Landscape Painting - "Black Diamond Cove Road" - Plein Air Easton

I've always found tree-lined country roads inviting, and that is especially true here in Easton. The pathways created by the trees become natural gateways to homes, neighborhoods and farms.

This one was painted during the late morning hours, when the dappled light just barely breaks through the canopy. Even on the hottest of days, the tall trees provide enough shade to make the weather comfortable.

"Black Diamond Cove Road" • Oil on Linen • 20" x 24" • Available at Plein Air Easton

Painting photo by Saunders Fine Arts.

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

"Dusk In Saint Michaels" - Landscape Painting - Plein Air Easton

I often find certain colors to be their most intense at dusk. The green fence stood out from all of the other muted colors, even with the warm sky of the setting sun backlighting the entire scene.

It immediately called to mind two different things, a painting by Willard Metcalf, which I shared last Tuesday, and the cover of the self-titled Black Sabbath album from 1970. My painting doesn't look like or even look inspired by either, but those were the influences running through my head as I painted this scene. It's funny, the things that come to mind while you are painting.

"Dusk In Saint Michaels" • Oil on Linen • 18" x 24"  

• Available at the Plein Air Easton Competition and Arts Festival

  

Painting photo by Saunders Fine Arts.

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Plein Air Easton Art Exhibit And Sale

This year Plein Air Easton Competition and Arts Festival is holding an Art Exhibit and Sale of paintings by all of the competition artists that includes both plein air and other work.

You can view this art today at various locations, including the Waterfowl Building in Easton.

 

In addition to my floral, “Tulips Mingling With Daffodils,” here are four other paintings I have in this exhibit.

 

 "Pink!" • Oil on Canvas • 8" x 8" • Available at Plein Air Easton

There's always so much variety in a single flower. What I found most interesting about this rose was the subtle shift in the pink shadows. From cool pink at the top to almost orange in the middle, and finally purple in the deepest shadows.

 

"Day at the Dock" • Oil on Linen • 12" x 16" • Available at Plein Air Easton

Marinas have always fascinated me. All of the boats come together into abstract shapes. It only takes one carefully rendered boat to suggest so much more.

 

"Aflame" • Oil on Linen • 9" x 12" • SOLD

I'm a sucker for backlit roses. The way the sun shines right through them, enhancing their color dramatically, and making them appear to be on fire.

 

"Wake" • Oil on Linen • 18"x24" • Available at Plein Air Easton

What a great view to wake up to. This boat was right outside the window of a home we stayed at in Easton. The passing crab boats disturbed still water, breaking up the boat's shadow into thick stripes of color.

 

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Art Review - "The Poppy Field" by Willard Leroy Metcalf

Today's #museumtourtuesday involves a piece that's currently in my head as inspiration while I'm in the midst of the Plein Air Easton Competition and Arts Festival.

This piece by Willard Metcalf has such a beautiful sense of mood. What I find most interesting is the way the intensity of the red poppies overpowers the strength of the bright white sky, shifting the focus downwards into the more shadowed areas of the painting, and away from the value contrasts at the top. - Patrick Saunders

 

 

"The Poppy Field" • Willard Leroy Metcalf • Oil • 32.7cm x 24 cm

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Floral Painting - Plein Air Easton Fresh Paint Showcase

Although my paintings are completely different than those of Maria Oakey Dewing, I am inspired by the rich tapestry-like look of her work, and I wanted to capture the feel of a thick patch of intertwining flowers with this piece. 

This painting is as much about the interaction between the flowers as it is my reaction to them.

“Tulips Mingling With Daffodils” • Oil on Linen • 16” x 20”
• Now available at the Plein Air Easton Fresh Paint Showcase

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Floral Painting - Plein Air Easton

I tried to capture the sweeping motions of the leaves of a magnolia blossom at the Plein Air Easton Competition and Arts Festival's Meet The Artists party Saturday afternoon. The wind kept it moving the whole time I was painting it, so hence the title.

 

"Dance of the Magnolia" • Oil on Linen • 12" x 16" • SOLD

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Looking Back - Almost A Decade of Plein Air Painting

I’m in a plein air state of mind this week at the Plein Air Easton Competition and Arts Festival, and in keeping with that, I’m posting my favorite plein air paintings from the last decade, ones that are still my favorites, or, even if I’d paint them differently now, represented a breakthrough for me at the time in my process.

The best part of looking back at this old work is all of the great memories of our travel adventures that each piece reminds me of. All the wonderful moments in nature, and all of the challenges of painting on location, indoors as well as out. The moments of joy when a painting is going well, and the struggle when it’s not. No matter what, I learned so much from each experience.

 

Years of plein air painting has taught me many great lessons, and has profoundly influenced and improved my studio work.

 

2016 Augusta Plein Air Art Festival

"Good Morning, Church Road" • Oil on Panel • 14" x 18" • Private Collection

Winner, 2nd Place

Featured, Plein Air Magazine, June-July 2018

This is one of those paintings that was sheer joy, because it went smoothly from start to finish.

Kimberly and I arrived at this spot just before sunrise, and spent a really peaceful morning here, me catching the sun from the back of the barn, and Kimberly photographing the play of light on the front, and on vintage tractor equipment nearby.

This quiet morning is still one of our fondest shared plein air memories of all.

 

2017 Laguna Plein Air Painters Association
Plein Air Painting Invitational Portrait Demonstration

"Howdy" • Oil on Linen • 14" x 18" • Private Collection

Featured, Southwest Art Magazine, September 2018

This is the first portrait I ever painted at a plein air event, and it came together in under an hour.

I had spent the previous winter painting live models twice a week at the Coppini Academy of Fine Art in San Antonio, Texas, and that experience really helped me tackle this figure quickly and decisively.

 

2017 Plein Air Richmond

"A Window On Bentley's Backyard" • Oil on Linen • 18" x 24" • Private Collection

Winner, Best in Show

Cover, Southwest Art Magazine September 2018

Featured, Plein Air Magazine, June-July 2018

This was a big break-through in plein air painting for me. Not because it won a Best in Show, but because it was my second try at this scene.

I painted it my first year at Plein Air Richmond in 2016, but was unhappy with the results, so I scraped it down ... never be afraid to keep trying, or to start over. Come back to subjects you failed at before, because you will surprise yourself.

It's also a great example of the unpredictability of plein air. The dog presented himself during the painting process, sitting down in just the perfect spot for the composition.

 

2018 Plein Air Richmond

"A Welcoming Table" • Oil on Linen • 18" x 24" • Private Collection

Winner, Honorable Mention Award

Featured, Southwest Art Magazine, September 2018

Having an emotional connection to the space is what made all the difference in this painting.

We loved our stays in this beautiful carriage house, a lovely environment designed by two incredibly talented creatives we were honored to meet and spend some time with. Our feelings for this great space, and its creators, made its way into the painting.

This is definitely one of my favorite plein air paintings of all time, and yet I've caught a lot of heat for even referring to it as "plein air." Who gets to make those rules anyway? If you're taking part in a competition, then the event organizers' opinions are what matters, and in this case, interiors were allowed. As artists, it's important to not get caught up in the limitations of labels.

 

2016 Sedona Arts Center Plein Air Festival

"Hillside History, Jerome" • Oil on Panel  • 16" x 20" • Private Collection

Winner, Best of Show

Featured, Plein Air Magazine, June-July 2018

Here's a scene from one of the coolest places our travels have taken us - Jerome, Arizona. This mining town is considered one of the most haunted places in the US, and I fell in love with this colorful house belonging to the owner of the Rickeldoris Candy & Popcorn Company.

My wife accidentally threw her jacket on top of this painting right after I loaded it in the car, but luckily no serious damage occurred. That's another element of unpredictability when working on location. I've had wet paintings sprayed with cut grass, covered with bugs, and drenched in thunderstorms. It's all part of the experience.

 

2016 Paint the Peninsula Plein Air Festival

"Above & Below the Sol Duc" • Oil on Panel • 14" x 18" • Private Collection

Winner, Olympic National Park Interpretive Rangers Award

Featured, Southwest Art Magazine , September 2018

This one was painted along the Sol Duc River in Olympic National Park.

One of the most serene experiences I have ever had, and a great memory of one of the most beautiful parts of the entire country. Another top plein air memory for both Kimberly and I. We've got to get back to Washington state again some day. 

 

2017 Plein Air Easton Competition and Arts Festival
Small Painting

"Burst" • Oil on Panel  • 6" x 8" • Private Collection

Another painting from Plein Air Easton that almost didn't survive.

After finishing the piece, I leaned over it to grab a frame, and my t-shirt made contact, creating a perfect print on the fabric. I think I liked the painting better after the mishap, and I really should have saved that shirt.

 

2015 Augusta Plein Air Art Festival
"Stones, Femme Osage" • Oil on Canvas • 16" x 12" • Private Collection

Winner, Best of Show
Winner, 1st Place Award
Winner, Artists Choice Award

 

 

This painting taught me of the importance of painting what you personally are drawn to, not simply what you think will sell or win an award. If you paint something you don't care about, no one else will probably care about it either. If you paint what really moves you, it shows.

I really loved the design of the scene, and the sense of history in the tiny town of Femme Osage, Missouri.

That evening, the doubts kicked in. I asked myself all of the usual questions. Was I happy with the color, the values, the textures of the paint? Was it too tightly rendered? Were parts of it too loosely rendered? But one question stood out the most - was it too morbid? It's a graveyard after all. I decided I would scrape it off and paint over it.

Every artist needs a true confidant, and my wife Kimberly is mine. I sent an image of the painting to her, and her positive reaction was what saved it. It went on to win three awards, including Best of Show.

Paint what moves you.

 

2016 Easels In Frederick

"Light Dancing At the Clapp Barn" • Oil on Panel • 16" x 20" • Private Collection

Winner, Best Use of Light Award
Tied, Artists Choice Award

Sometimes, an opportunity suddenly presents itself, and this is a perfect example. I had been out painting all day, and returned to my host home for the evening.

While intending to relax, I noticed the light hitting the side of this barn in an exciting pattern, and rushed to dash off the painting before the moment was gone. An afterthought ended up as my best painting of the week and went on to win two awards.

 

2019 Olmsted Plein Air Invitational

"Dining at the Swan" • Oil on Linen • 18"x24" • Private Collection

Winner, Best Architectural Award

Another painting that almost wasn't. I spent an enjoyable afternoon in the dining room of the Swan House at the Atlanta History Center.

I had a great time chatting with the docents, and didn't find myself to be very focused on the painting. For this reason, at the end of the day, I had intended to scrape the painting and paint over it. Once again, sharing a photo of how I had spent my afternoon with Kimberly, she convinced me that it was working really well. I let it sit for a few days and decided to submit it for judging, where it went on to win an award.

 

© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.