Small Landscapes and Still Lifes
When painting outside or from nature I am most impressionistic and spontaneous, keeping the color bold and the paint thick and fresh and the edges soft. My alla prima technique applies perfectly for the au plein air paintings done on site in Provence, France, as well as small cityscapes I’ve begun to do around Cambridge and Boston.
When painting in my studio or from photographs I may take time to build up layers over a thin monochrome value painting, letting it dry before building up the color in stages with more precision. But working directly from life usually requires me to see and paint quickly before weather changes, light fades or the subject alters.