The Joy Of Painting In The Sun
Guest contribution by Alfonso L. Tejada
Images painted and provided by Alfonso L. Tejada
The celebration of life starts with our sensory discoveries, and plein air painting is an opportunity for the spirit to escape and see the world in the light and colours of nature. Painting and sketching are tools to translate the voice of our senses into images to be remembered and shared with others. In every stroke of the pencil and brush, pieces of the magnificence of the world are interpreted.
The magic of plein air, or painting outdoors, is in the immediacy of the landscape, the people, and surrounding activity and sounds. Free of the confines of the studio and thrust into the setting of nature, the boulevard, or the city, the artist breathes in sensation and impression and is compelled to channel this interpretation onto the canvas. And for the viewer of this 'outdoor studio', there is a freedom to experience the mystery of the artistic process outside of the walls of the artist's studio.
In our North Shore community the tradition of sketching and painting started as simple social gatherings amongst friends and as a pastime where artists aimed to improve their artistic skills. These groups of friends grew with time, strangers and sceptics picked up their brushes and joined in, and an enthusiastic and committed community network was formed in the West Vancouver Sketch Club.
The West Van Sketch Club, founded in 1947, has matured into an organization of almost 200 artists that live, work and paint on Vancouver's North Shore. It is now renamed the North Shore Artist's Guild and this July the group celebrated it's 60th Anniversary.
Commemorating this special anniversary, last month there was a successful series of plein air painting sessions along Ambleside for three consecutive weekends where small groups of artists met in various locations, painting "en plein air". A central station sponsored by Park Royal Shopping Centre was located in the heart of the The Village. Various artists showed their paintings and passers-by had the opportunity to talk, get to know the artists, and view works in progress.
The public was warmly invited to join in this celebration of the Guild's 60th Anniversary by dropping by to paint or simply being a supporting presence for those artists at play! It was a first step to introducing art in a friendly and demystified way to beginners, and this opportunity developed a vehicle for interacting through art. The art activity connected people, created bonds and built community – and this is the heart and soul of the artistic experience.
The Harmony Arts Festival, with the participation of the Ferry Building Gallery, is hosting a daily series of plein air painting in front of the gallery. Artists will paint on-site daily, Saturday,August 4th to Sunday, August 12th from 11am to 3pm. This offers an opportunity, once again, for the community to participate in and experience the joy of painting in the sun!
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