Grain Elevator
12 x 16 in.
Artist Statement:
“The challenge for me is always to see the world with fresh eyes and respond spontaneously to the beauty before me. It’s possible to lose the impact of my initial vision out of doors due to the continually changing light. For this reason I strive to capture as quickly and accurately as possible the visual sensations that I have of the subject. I study the color relationships and try to note them as best as I can. Back at my studio I use these “on the spot” studies for larger paintings. I also take some photos for additional information, however I’m careful not to copy the photograph (too much information could dilute my first impression). Therefore, I also have to rely on my memory to recall the mood that I wanted to express.” “Some painters prefer to render a picture tightly to a literal level of finish. However I prefer to paint only enough for the viewer to get a clear vision of what the subject is and suggest the rest. When the painting is viewed close up you can see the many colorful brush strokes, as you step further away the brush strokes disappear and your eye pulls the whole painting together. That is what the magic of painting is about for me. This allows the viewers to use his or her imagination and participate in the painting”.
Howard and his wife and their studio in Bozeman, Montana, have been featured in numerous art magazine articles including the June/July 2015 issue of PleinAir magazine, Art of the West magazine and American Artist Studio Edition.
Howard has painted, taught and exhibited extensively in numerous states in the U.S. as well as Mexico, France, Italy, England, Spain, Portugal, Croatia and China. Friedland’s work is featured in many private and corporate collections around the world including museums in China. Howard was invited to join renown Chinese American artist Zhiwei Tu and several prominent American and Chinese master painters to paint and exhibit large plein air paintings created in China in 2011 and 2014.
He has a teaching DVD, “Painting the Landscape Loosely but Accurately” released this year from Bella Muse Productions.
