Playdate

By: Kat Bauer

PLEIN AIR PAINTING

I love the afternoon light on the beach. The direction of the light can add to the narrative of the story of a painting. Here the sun is low in the sky, creating defined shadow lines as a stark contrast to the bright colors in full sun. I’m so inspired by the shadow colors on skin at the beach. The sand reflects light into the shadows giving color that is hard to capture in a photograph. But I can document the color in paint!My art training has been focused on the figure and the traditional realism of the old masters. Living near the beach in Southern California has inspired me to delve into plein air (outdoor) painting. I feel it is the closest I can come to portraying the effects of light and color of the California beaches. I then use the outdoor oil sketches and quick figure studies for reference to inform larger studio paintings, adding detail, texture and character. I have loved the figure drawing classes at MiraCosta College as a way to sharpen and maintain my drawing skills while being a stay-at-home mom.