By CATHERINE LEGG / Community Columnist

The works of various plein air artists are displayed in Parnell Memorial Art Gallery during the months of August and September. The exhibit is sponsored by the Montevallo Arts Council.

Many of the paintings are the products of the Arts Council’s two-day plein air workshop held in June at the Sherwood and Beverly Stamps farm. Martha Fulghum, one of the workshop coordinators, said the 12 area artists painted the pastoral landscape there under the instruction of Gadsden artist Craig Reynolds.

They were given a specified time period in which to complete their pictures.

She explained plein air is painting an impression of the subject, focusing on the lights and darks in the scene, with little detail.

All of the paintings were done in oil, and some of them will be for sale at the gallery.

In an article in the Gadsden Times on April 20, 2011, a plein air artist was described as an artist who, “captures dancing sunlight with a flick of the wrist, a spring garden in a swirl of color and historic architecture with a few brushstrokes.”

While it seems like magic, painting the landscape on location requires a mixture of talent, years of observation, study and practice.”

Reynolds is a well known artist. He began painting “en plein air” in 2005, and participates in many plein air events. He has been one of the featured artists in the Southeastern Plein Air Invitational for three years.

Attending the workshop were Debbie Sullivan, Dottie Moore, Cindy Barberini, Paige Hodo, Joanne Richardson, Chaille Raines, June Pilkerton, Sandy Swindall, Debbie Hardy, Etta Yeary, Susan Ripp, and Donna Chieves, who had an exhibit in the Montevallo gallery just last year.

Among the artists whose work will be shown in the gallery exhibit are: Reynolds, Fulghum, Sullivan, Raines, Moore, Chieves, Swindall, Yeary and Ron Lewis.

Suzanne Hurst, president of the Arts Council, stressed that they welcome new ideas to bring more art to the community, and that another plein air workshop is planned for next April.

For information about these and other events, contact Suzanne Hurst at bluephroggallery@att.net.

 

Catherine Legg can be reached by email at clegg2@bellsouth.net.