Plein Air Painting Workshop by Mitch Baird

Mitch Baird painting (photo 1)

Mitch Baird's painting (photo 2)

My painting set up (photo 3)

Allan painting (photo 4)

My painting (last photo)

I did this painting today at a Plein Air Painting Workshop by Mitch Baird. Allan and I have never done a workshop, but after seeing Mitch's paintings at Art on the Boulevard and discovering he was teaching a workshop this weekend, we decided to give it a try.

We've loved Mitch's work since we first saw it. The paintings are so simple and fresh--like I've always wished I could paint. The workshop solidified two important concepts for me: simplifying shapes, and identifying values.

The workshop was on Sauvie Island. Mitch did a demonstration first, then we each did our own painting while Mitch gave advice. He helped me with perspective, which I always struggle with, and how to break up planes so a person's eyes move around the painting. He's also a master at smudging edges! Mine tend to get to sharp.

I've been painting all my life and I feel like I had the most to learn of everyone in the group! One thing is for sure, the simplicity of a beautiful painting is incredibly complex. Complex in that it's hard to capture, and has nothing to do with details.

The last picture above is my painting. Not even worth a frame, if you ask me, but a valuable learning experience. Also, I can't even claim it as my own, since Mitch helped so much. So I'll use it as my first example of a workshop painting! Hopefully there'll be more!

I met some other inspirational artists, Celeste Bergin and Sandra Longmore. And I discovered I need a better easel set up. More art supplies!

~I will keep the brush happy in my hand~