20th Century Plein Air Oil Landscape by Mary O Smith

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EXPRESSIVE 20th CENTURY PLEIN AIR OIL LANDSCAPE BY MARY O SMITH

The French term “en Plein Air” means “in … Read more EXPRESSIVE 20th CENTURY PLEIN AIR OIL LANDSCAPE BY MARY O SMITH

The French term “en Plein Air” means “in the Open Air. Impressionist artists of the 19th century started to paint outdoors, on the site, where they could study and capture the “real” color effects of reflected light and shadow in their paintings.. Prior to the 19th century and the six previous centuries in Europe, landscapes were painted in the artist’s studio.
One would describe many of Smith’s stylistic techniques as “Impressionist,” but she has taken the “realist-impressionist” tradition of that style up to another level. She engages the viewer with her use of suggestive, loose and expressive brush strokes of bold color to infuse a mood of excitement in her painting. Smith has been able to “capture the moment” in her expressive composition of trees in the woods.
The viewer can sense or feel the innate strength of the large tree that is the focal point in the painting. However, the smaller tree in the foreground has succumbed to the elements of wind and decay. Notice how Smith uses a loose color dabbing technique of strong color in the lower part of the painting to cause visual excitement and the sense of visual movement. However, in the upper part of the canvas, she paints subtle colors with smooth brushstrokes to contrast the boldness of the lower part of the painting. This striking method creates tension and excitement in a painting that can be visually seen and felt by the viewer.
This Plein-Air oil painting was painted by a well known artist, Mary O Smith, who lives in the southeastern part of the United States. She is a member of numerous artist organizations and she has won many awards with her oil and watercolor paintings. Her most recent achievement was in winning the Artist’s Choice award for her painting at the Shadow on the Teche juried Plein Air Event in 2021.
In 2000, she was featured in the national magazine “Watercolor Magic” as “One to Watch.” In 2006, in the same publication, she was chosen again as one of the “Ten Artists to Watch.”.
Her painting is signed in the lower right side of the painting. She has also signed her name and title of the work on the back side of the work at upper right. You can see that she wrote the title of the work on the back. It is difficult to read, but it appears to be: “Shade @ (at) big Trat (?) Island, (?),dated 03-07. The location may be near Steinhatchee, FL, where she often paints.”
This beautiful and exciting painting would make a grand statement in any room that it is hung. See less