From the Oil Painter's Journal:

Opening Doors, Outdoors
In the past 6 or 7 years I've been doing small (8" x 10" or so) panel paintings when I went out in the field. As the summer approached I got excited about doing large paintings on location where the brushstrokes would become more important, the paint would go on thicker and the whole thing become more spontaneous. In short, the process itself becomes the attraction and the end result is a still movie of the artist's mind and hand at work.

In the past, my field studies were about gathering information and studying effects in nature. Here was a more self-conscious approach, more about the delight of painting, and the beginning of a new direction. This is the first outdoor work of the summer, done in two sessions on location and it measures 16" x 20". I find the immediacy very pleasing. It is the first impression when you look in one direction and you are struck with how beautiful a scene is.

©2006 DOUG RUGH. Neither text nor artwork may be reproduced without permission.