Meet the rest of the 2014 Plein Air line up

 Christain Hemme

Hometown: Pensacola, FL

Medium: Oil and Watercolor

    Only twelve years old when he began taking instruction from professional artist and illustrator Marit Guild, Christian Hemme began learning the foundations of representational art.  Continuing his art learning after high school, he graduated summa cum laude with a BS in visual arts and a concentration in commercial art. 

     “As an artist I want my art not only to be masterful in technique, but also to engage the viewer’s mind.”  Artists who influence his personal growth as a professional include John Singer Sargent, Anders Zorn, and Ilya Repin as well as contemporary masters such as Richard Schmid, Scott Christensen, and Daniel Gerhartz.  “These artists exemplify the union of technique and narrative that I also hope to achieve.”

 Artist Statement:

“I passionately love Art; however, first and foremost, I passionately love Jesus Christ.  I paint only by his grace and for his glory”.  Inspiration for paintings comes from many places; however, the most compelling subject matter for me is figurative work and both maritime and mountainous landscapes. 

Beverly Ford Evans

Hometown: Franklin, TN

Medium: Oil

    Beverly Ford Evans is a native of Nashville, Tennessee. As a child she was drawn to the beauty that surrounded her. Encouraged by her parents, she began drawing and painting. As an adult Beverly has become a prolific artist. She has studied with accomplished artist Roger Dale Brown, OPA, Dawn Whitelaw, Paula Frizbe and Jeremy Lipking.

     After a carrier in interior design, Beverly was inspired by the beauty of her home state to return to her love of painting.  Tennessee is abundant in natural beauty and history and Beverly captures its essence and shares it through her paintings. With her deliberate brushwork and attention to the scene, Beverly captures the essence of the landscape beautifully and artfully.

She also loves to pack her paints and travel to other parts of our beautiful country, where she is inspired by the diversity and beauty at every turn in the road. Coupled with her love of landscapes is her love for animals. Beverly is sought after to paint commissions for loving pet owners. 

Diane Gibson Newsome

Hometown: Trussville, AL

Medium: Oil

    Diane Gibson Newsome produces representational art. Her style may best be described as "impressionistic realism". The paradox of perceived detail produced by abstract brush strokes and subtle elements especially intrigues her. Driven by a strong work ethic and love for painting, she is striving to refine her own approach to the effect of light and creating a three dimensional illusion through texture and sculpting with paint. Working primarily in oils with brush and palette knife, she appreciates the vivid and luminous quality of this medium.
    Newsome credits encouraging parents and grandparents for instilling an intense love and appreciation of nature in her at a very early age.  An ardent equestrian, gardener and wildlife enthusiast, she focuses on capturing the fabulous and unique essence of wildlife and nature subjects on canvas.  The convey-ance of the intangible emotional part of a painting is of paramount importance to her.  With her paintings, she communicates to the viewer a sense of place in the landscape as well as the quality of light on a subject.   

     In addition to participation in art festivals, Newsome is currently represented by the prestigious fine art gallery, Littlehouse Galleries, Birmingham, AL. She was recently honored to be chosen by the "Art Galleries and Artists of the South" Magazine as a featured Emerging Artist with images of her paintings included in the AGAS Vol. 10, Issue 3 (page 81) publication.

 

More Plein Air Artists!

Craig Reynolds

Hometown: Gadsden, AL

Medium: Oil

    The artists in my family can be traced back for many generations.  My Dad was an artist; his Dad was an artist and had several brothers and sisters that were artists as well.  So people ask me today “how long have you been paintings?” and my reply can only be “well as far back as I can remember, it’s simply something that we just always did.”

     I began my part time art career in 1984.  That’s when I began to show out of town and out of state more while maintaining my paying job at our local steel mill.  Back then I scheduled the weekend art festivals for the spring and summer, had four of my paintings made into limited edition prints.  I opened my art gallery and studio in Gadsden in 2004 and began teaching private classes and selling my work through my own and other galleries. 

     The first gallery that accepted my work was the Gale Gallery in New Orleans and they sold sixteen of my paintings in two months.  My next gallery was the Renaissance Gallery in Northport, Al, then the Shelby Lee Gallery in Charleston, SC. 

     My art career has evolved from a watercolorist to oil painter en plein air and studio impressionism. 

 ARTIST STATEMENT

I guess one could say that my work is heavily influenced by my experiences and training as a realistic watercolorist.  Even though my oil paintings have evolved into more of an impressionistic style with influences of realism, the style also sometimes may be viewed as somewhat expressionistic as well.  None the less, I just do what feels right at the moment to convey the sense of movement, tension or atmosphere set by the subject.

 

Robin Roberts

Hometown: Decataur, AL

Medium: Oil

     Oil painter Robin Roberts has lived in five states but North Alabama roots keep her grounded.  Especially inspired by ordinary views by the side of the road, Robin seeks nobility in the everyday scenes we encounter.  Her southern landscapes draw us into the excitement and mystery of light and shadow, bringing to life that delicate time of day that is so fleeting.  Through vigorous brushwork, delicate touches, subtle color combinations and unusual compositions we are able to see the common transformed into places you know by heart. 

     Robin is equally attracted to painting animals and the figure as well as her signature landscapes.  She is grateful that she was trained to translate a vision into beautiful canvases by painting outdoors on location. This is Robin’s favorite method, and it allows her to add truth to larger paintings.  She especially enjoys participating in outdoor painting events.

 ARTIST STATEMENT:

“I am honored to have been an invited artist to the Huntsville Museum of Art Gala for five years.  I have received many awards, but I find the biggest reward is when someone passes by and says, “ahhhhhh” and knows a painting has touched a chord in the heart.” 

Jennifer Stottle Taylor

Hometown: Taft, Tn

Medium: Oil and Acrylic

     Jennifer Stottle Taylor is an award-winning professional oil and acrylic painter.  She combines impasto with realism, creating a thickly textured impressionistic result, that is embraced by collectors. She is an accomplished and sought after pet portrait artist, as well as figure painter and portrait artist. 

     Jennifer actively teaches and conducts painting and drawing workshops in Tennessee and Alabama. Because many private collectors admire her work, her work hangs in homes across America and Europe.  Jennifer’s work was recently seen hanging at the Booth Western Art Museum of Cartersville, GA.

 ARTIST STATEMENT:

 “I come from a realist background, but being an outdoor enthusiast, I have recently discovered a love for Plein Air painting.”

This year's Plein Air artists part three

John Guernsey

Hometown: Marietta, GA

Medium: Oil

 

Originally from Southern California, John Brian Guernsey moved to Georgia in 1993 and transitioned to an art career in 2006. The work of Mr. Guernsey would best be described as contemporary impressionism/realism, in a 'plein air' style, and covers subject matter from landscapes and cityscapes to still life. Having developed his drawing skills through college and workshops, he now concentrates primarily on landscapes in oil. 

 Mr. Guernsey is a frequent participant in nationally ranked plein air festivals and maintains a busy schedule of classes and workshops around the southeast. He is represented exclusively by DK Gallery, in Marietta, GA. Mr. Guernsey's work reveals a keen observance of atmosphere and light, and is inspired not only by his love of nature, but by his interest in city life and architecture as well.

Artist’s Statement: "My work is primarily landscapes in oil paint, with an emphasis on the 'plein air' method and technique. I strive for a tonal, atmospheric look - and try to communicate to the viewer the feeling of 'being there'."

  

Amy Peterson

Hometown: Trussville, AL

Medium: Oil and Acrylic

After earning her B.A. from the University of Notre Dame in 2005, she was commissioned to paint a Universal Madonna figure for the retiring President of the University of Notre Dame, on behalf of the Multicultural Alumni network.  This experience inspired an on-going series of Madonna (mother-child) images. In addition, Amy paints extensively from life in oil and acrylics: still lifes and plein air landscapes.

Amy fell in love with the Southwest In 2005 while working at Canyonlands National Park in Utah. Southwestern art motifs  continue to inspire her work.

An advocate for Art Therapy, Amy is involved with art therapy programs at First Light Women’s Shelter of Birmingham and Very Special Arts of Alabama.

Artist Statement:

“COLOR and FORM excite me! In these I find LIFE and ENERGY fully expressed in the most SIMPLE, direct way.”

“On canvas and on foot, I enjoy exploring the infinite colors, forms, and textures of the natural world. While painting landscapes en plein air, immersed in the whims of a particular season or time of day, I aim to capture the essence of that place in time. “

Sharon Gates

Hometown: Birmingham, AL

Medium: Oil

Painting primarily in oils, Sharon likes to consider herself an expressionist colorist when it comes to style.  After putting her artistic talents on hold for her teaching career then her family, she began painting in the 1980s at the encouragement of a friend.  Her first paintings sold in a show that same year.  Over the years she has studied with nationally acclaimed artists Kim English, Ken Backhaus, Nancy Chadbourn and locally with Barbara Evans.  Sharon has been an art instruction at the Birmingham Museum of Art and the Eastern Shore Art Association in Fairhope, AL.  She teaches workshops and paints with the Evans Wednesday Painters as well as with the Alabama Plein Air Artists and is currently President of the Birmingham Art Association.  Proficient in watercolor and acrylics as well, Sharon gained signature status in the Watercolor Society of Alabama .

Artist’s Statement:  My work is the expression of personal feelings and responses to light, color, paint properties, and the subject before me.  Because I work in oils, acrylics, and watercolors, I am considered a multi-media artist.  I allow the subject and the effect I want to dictate which medium to use.  I love it ALL!  Creativity is always my guide through the piece. 

As an art teacher, my goal is to inspire and challenge students of all levels to creative and artistic expression.  My philosophy?  “Paint from your heart, paint the best you know how, forgive yourself, and never stop learning.   Above  all else, remember that there are no mistakes, only creative opportunities.