Still Water
12 x 16 in.
oil on linen paper
Plein Air

Harford County Plein Air was my last event of the season. This painting, Still Water, received a Second Place award from judge Crystal Moll, a Baltimore Gallery owner. The experience of painting in plein air events not only offers the opportunity to paint outdoors in new locations but fosters a spirit of camaraderie among the artists. Although several artists may choose the same location to paint, I find myself immersed in solitude with the subject before me.

In the early October morning, on an overcast day with many boats pulled from the water for the winter, this dark hulled boat drew my attention. The hulk shape was sitting in its own reflection and swinging rhythmically with the wakes, matching the rhythm of my brush strokes. The afternoon brightened for a few hours so that another moored boat could be set to canvas.

I have been a studio painter for over thirty years. In the past twelve years of painting in plein air events, I have used oils, watercolors and pastels. I am always looking for strong shapes and the effects of changing light throughout the day.

I grew up in western Maryland but spent thirty years teaching and painting near my home in southern Maryland. A recent move to the Delaware shores has rejuvenated my enthusiasm for experimenting with new media and subject matter.

Website: ray.fineartstudioonline.com

Facebook: Raymond Ewing