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Fine Line Designs Gallery celebrates painting en plein air
Ephraim painting spree and Utzinger exhibition both on Saturday,
Sept. 4, 2004
August 24, 2004
by Steve Kastner
EPHRAIM, WI - When
artists ventured out of their studios in the late 1800s to attempt to capture the visual experience of sunlight
on nature they were considered quite revolutionary. The Impressionists launched a method of painting en plein air,
which literally means 'in the open air'. A very familiar concept today, plein air painting requires a specific
artistic mindset, special techniques and a portable studio.
On Saturday, September 4
Fine Line Designs Gallery in Ephraim plans to celebrate the Plein Air movement with two different events. Beginning
at 11 AM artists
RD Bentley, Lori Beringer, Mary Bosman, Marianne Diekman, Tom
Eddington, Malin Ekman, Jan Forkert, Dan Stauff, Bob Straube
and Bridget Wolf
all plan to work outdoors on the Gallery grounds creating art from their impressions.
"Painting from life is a pursuit unlike any other painting technique. It challenges artists to concentrate
every sensory nerve on the information in front them," says a spokesman from the Plein-Air Painters of America.
"They absorb it all, from sight to sound, from temperature to atmosphere, and then channel those feelings
from head to hand, re-creating the vision in paints on paper or canvas."
The public is invited to freely join this artistic cadre as a spectator, an active participant or both. While the
event is subject to the vagaries of the weather, true plein air artists will paint under any conditions. From 3
- 4PM the artists will gather in the Fine Line courtyard to share and discuss their work.
From 4 - 7 PM the
Gallery will host the opening of a special exhibit. The works of Rosemary
Utzinger will be featured in "Memories
of Provence" - a collection of over 25 oil paintings derived
from her travels in France. Spending two weeks touring The Cote D'azur in spring 2003, she shot numerous photos,
created pochades - a French word meaning quick sketch - and has been creating an impressive body of work in her
Door County studio ever since.
When 19th-century English painter John Constable said the artist should forget about formulas and trust his own
vision in finding truth in nature, he was speaking about working en plein air. To find that truth, he made sketches
outdoors, and then elaborated on them in the studio - in the same manner as Rosemary Utzinger, centuries later.
Like Constable and the impressionists, the plein air painters of today believe that you should trust your eyes
to represent light on form using color to convey the outdoor experience. Painting en plein air is a pursuit that
continues to challenge the finest artists in the world.
You are invited to enjoy a day basking in the plein air experience at Fine Line Designs Gallery on Saturday, Sept.
4. In addition folk musician Jeanne Kuhns and friends will provide live acoustic entertainment beginning at 1 PM.
Meet artist Rosemary Utzinger in person and enjoy complimentary hors d'oeuvres and refreshments from 4 - 7 PM.
Fine Line Designs Gallery is located at Ephraim's far
north end near Green Gables and represents more than 60 nationally acclaimed artists. The gallery features original
paintings, sculpture, jewelry, custom wood furnishings and fiber art and is open daily from 10 AM - 6 PM. For more
information call 920.854.4343 or visit FineLineDesignsGallery.com
on-line.
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