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Big Sur, Big Sun
[Watch the Video of this painting from "The Landscape Illuminated" exhibit.] A big volume of air shimmers from here on the cliff to there in the shining distance where the sun is making its way to setting in this painting “Big … Continue reading
From “The Landscape Illuminated” Exhibit: “Willow Wall”
[Watch the video] In 1883, French Impressionist Claude Monet, moved his family to the little hamlet of Giverny and began developing gardens of flowers and lily ponds, bridges and pathways, so many of the scenes that made their way into … Continue reading
“The Landscape Illuminated” Exhibit
The sun washes over the landscape, shining on the world without holding back, without withholding its light from one thing and giving to another. The good and the bad, the indifferent and the involved alike receive its illumination, its clarity, … Continue reading
Harboring a Secret Love
Perhaps it isn’t a secret anymore, now that I am posting it to the world. Or, maybe the world already saw what I did not see. In any case, I have just realized it myself: I’ve been harboring a secret … Continue reading
White Balcony
One rarely notices this building at the entrance to old Fishermans Wharf in Monterey, California, and if you do you are immediately distracted by all the comings and goings of tourists. It’s kind of a circus there. But isolate this … Continue reading
Shop Added to my Facebook
I’ve added a shop to my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/robertlewisart. This shop includes a selection of smaller pieces that are available for purchase. Take a look! Here is a screenshot of the shop. Notice the red circle showing the “Shop … Continue reading
Sedona Plein Air: I Call Them Heroes
Note: This is Part 3, the final post, of the account of Sedona Plein Air Festival 2010 In which the artist(s) may not have seen themselves as heroes yet, nevertheless, they became heroes. Before we go any further I want … Continue reading
Sedona Plein Air: In Search of “The View”
Note: This is Part 2 of the account of Sedona Plein Air Festival 2010 In which the artist becomes finds himself obsessed with finding the perfect view and comes to realize it is all perfect in its own way, something … Continue reading
Sedona Plein Air: Out of Thin Air
Note: This post is Part 1 of several posts about the Sedona Plein Air Festival. Wherein the artist has his breath taken away when realizing that photos can not do justice to a place like Sedona, Arizona, only paintings can. … Continue reading
Gearing Up
Wherein the artist holds his breath wondering, will it all fit? Having shipped three large boxes off the the Sedona Arts Center earlier in the week, I still had one thing looming over my head: would I be able to … Continue reading
Ready for Sedona Plein Air Festival
In which the artist pauses for a moment to savor the fevered preparation it has taken be ready to paint and paint well. For the past several weeks have been filled with preparation for competition in the Sedona Plein Air … Continue reading
Diving In
Wherein the artist throws caution to the wind and paints fast, before the frogmen come out of the sea… Early morning gave us the gift of gray skies, yet again. The sun of yesterday gone, the thoughts of the rainy … Continue reading
Havin’ a Heat Wave, a Tropical Heat Wave
Wherein the artist becomes the featured dish in the convection oven of life. As you know, or as you may have gathered from my constant whining about overcast skies, Pacific Grove suffers from a lack of sun in the summer … Continue reading
Windows on the Bay
Where, in the final installment of a one-day plein air marathon, the artist seeks to redeem himself, clearing his mind of a shadowy, evil cypress tree, and opening a “window” on the bay… In the early days of old Monterey, … Continue reading
Tunnel of Love Boat
Continuing the plein air marathon paint-out, the artist moves his easel 20 feet and paints the same boat through a “tunnel” created by a cypress. After painting a foggy morning with a boat which I ended up calling “Breaking through … Continue reading
Lifting the Fog
In which the artist, seeks the sun on a day-long plein air training paint-out. Pacific Grove is known for its summer fog. Had I known this, I probably would not have moved here, considering I love sun all the time, … Continue reading
My “Ride”
Warning: This is a geek post. A geek post about gear. Painting gear, in the form of bicycle transportation to plein air locations, and how things can go wrong, and then so very right. There is a painting at the … Continue reading
Plein Error
To wit, the artist fails to honor the plein air canvas with grace and so is forced to redeem himself in the studio… As I packed up my gear at the studio and gave one look over my shoulder at … Continue reading
Gray Matters
In which the artist embraces his fear of the dark or, rather, the gray and, rising to the light that is portioned out to him, braves all… Excuse the phone photos, I forgot my camera, but you can see the … Continue reading
“Fruit Bowl with Papaya and Cantaloupe” Painting Demo
This is a painting demo created during the painting of an oil on canvas “Fruit Bowl with Papaya and Cantaloupe”. The painting is 24″x24″, oil on wrapped canvas. The demonstration shows the still life set up or arrangement, the shadow … Continue reading
Colorful Kayaks and Snow Blindness
In which, seduced by the color of pretty little boats, the artist becomes the victim of snow blindness and so can’t paint worth a damn. That’s my excuse. Loading up the bike and speeding north along the bike path from … Continue reading
Monterey, a Mediterranean View
How I painted a beautiful view of the Monterey Peninsula from high atop an ancient sand dune and traveled to this windy location by bicycle. Today was a good test of plein air painting using a bicycle as transportation. From … Continue reading
“Oranges on a Blue Cloth” Painting Demonstration
This is a painting demo created during the painting of an oil on canvas “Oranges on a Blue Cloth”. The painting is 24″x24″, oil on wrapped canvas. The demonstration shows the still life set up or arrangement, the shadow box … Continue reading
Giclee Prints of My Work Now Available
After many years of resisting this, I have finally decided to release a number of my images as prints. In partnership with my giclee company I have created a print site that allows you to choose the prints and frame … Continue reading
Plein Air Easton 2009
Below is the entire Plein Air Easton 2009 blog by Robert Lewis in chronological order. Contents Day One: In Training Intending to Paint Boats, I Got Distracted Fear of Boats Escape from the Fog Having My Way PAIN-ting Lessons Desiderata … Continue reading
Changing the Palette
I know this feeling and I don’t like it. It’s the same feeling I get whenever I arrive home after weeks in some exotic land. It was there when I returned from the intense color and sweat of Tahiti. It’s … Continue reading
Give It Everything You’ve Got
” No one understands that you have given everything. You must give more.“ — Antonio Porchia , Voces , 1943 The Quick Draw is an event loved and hated by an artist. On the one hand, it only lasts two … Continue reading
Fixed on a Star
“Every obstacle yields to stern resolve. He who is fixed to a star does not change his mind.“ — Leonardo da Vinci The painting you see here is the first painting I did in this year’s Plein Air Easton … Continue reading
Let Nothing Stop You
On day two of the Plein Air Easton painting competition, I woke up feeling ill. The ear infection that had gotten me down had not responded to the antibiotics and I felt worse. Getting out of bed seemed a great … Continue reading
Day One at Plein Air Easton
The day before the first day of the competition was a day of scouting locations. With my friend Tim, I explored Oxford, Maryland, a beautiful town of old houses and marina and boat yards. The weather was mild, in the … Continue reading
Magical Helpers
“A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow … Continue reading
Lucidity, Thucydides, Lucidity
“The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.” — Thucydides Some visions form slowly over years, a piece here, a fragment … Continue reading
“Desiderata”
“Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.” — from Desiderata by Max Ehrmann (1872–1945) What’s in a Boat Name? This morning there was no fog, no hint of cloud, and … Continue reading
PAIN-ting Lessons
I am psychic. My prediction of yesterday came true. More on that later in this post. A few thoughts first… Let me make this clear, I am not an expert on plein air painting. But I am an expert on … Continue reading