The Road to Becoming a Plein Air Artist

By Guest Art Blogger Sue Kirkpatrick, Arab, Alabama (former resident of Iuka, Mississippi)

Sue Kirkpatrick.
(All images on this post ©2018|Sue Kirkpatrack unless noted otherwise)

I was solidly bitten by the art bug so now I have a bad case of passion for painting!!! Oil painting in particular. I have pursued oil painting by attending many workshops, buying art books, and buying more and more art supplies!

One of Marc Hanson's workshops at Courson Workshops in Pontotoc, MS

Painted/sketched this in Zhaoming Wu's workshop in Huntsville sponsored by Protege Atelier.

What I've discovered is that being an artist is a struggle in many ways. Actually, I got a late start-I was past middle age when most people start slowing down. A late start with a 90 degree learning curve would cause most people to question maybe not for me:
I had only taken two art courses in college, I was not at all comfortable with art language, and I had no intelligent art painting skills.

One of my favorite quotes:

"I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it.

  

- Vincent Van Gogh

Kim English at Courson Workshops in Pontotoc, MS.  

I started going to art workshops. I found that every time I went to an art workshop my art painting skills improved and I started to learn some art language. Like I learned the word “Value” was a pretty important word in the art world. So I started trying to learn about value and the value scale and how to use correct values in painting. Did I say I being an artist is a struggle!

Here are a few photos of my paintings and photos from some workshops that I have been privileged to go to.

©2018|Sue Kirkpatrack

Reference photo credit :Steve West.
Painting ©2018|Sue Kirkpatrack

©2018|Sue Kirkpatrack

©2018|Sue Kirkpatrack

©2018|Sue Kirkpatrack

©2018|Sue Kirkpatrack

I'm still working on using correct value in my painting. I know I will continue to work on correct value skills until I die!!! Then value leads to color harmony, and to colors in your palette, then to limited palette, to composition, and to design!  And on an on and on! Van Gogh  was so right...

©2018|Sue Kirkpatrack

©2018|Sue Kirkpatrack

©2018|Sue Kirkpatrack

Then there are the artist, the past master painters, the living master painters, and all the really good painters in between!!!

©2018|Sue Kirkpatrack Sue painted this in Morgan Samuel Price's workshop in Dolonaga, GA at Anita Elder's.

As I went to workshop after workshop I also became acquainted with some of the most amazing people who were working to do the same thing I was doing, struggling to be an artist.
So many of these wonderful people were really already great artists who helped me tremendously!! And I am grateful for the help they gave me.

Sue's painting at the member's show, Shoals Art Guild took Best in Show
©2018|Sue Kirkpatrack

Sue Kirkpatrick is a retired teacher who lived in the lovely and historical village of Iuka, MS from 1998-2002. She attended the "W" in Columbus, MS her freshman year in college. After retiring as an educator she and husband, Terrell, now live in Arab, AL.

Sue began her artist journey by painting watercolor portraits while living in Iuka, MS.

Sue is now a pursuing oil painting by studying and attending plein air, figurative, and portrait workshops. She has studied with Kim English, Quang Ho, Jason Saunders, Marc Hanson, Morgan Samuel Price, Stapleton Kearns, and Zhaoming Wu among others. Sue paints most every day. Visit her website at: suekirkpatrickart.com

A big thanks to Sue Kirkpatrick for her story!

Follow this blog about Mississippi artists. In the coming weeks, this site will be publishing contributed articles by several plein air painters from the state of Mississippi. 

Contact Dot Courson at artist@dotcourson.com to find out how to contribute. 

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Plein Air News From Oxford to Ocean Springs Mississippi... and Beyond

Plein Air Events in Mississipppi

When I first started this blog there had been plein air groups in Mississippi but not a single one was active at the time. Now there are several small groups, and one is especially active in Oxford. My daughter Susan Patton paints with them and our friend Linda Peters serves as the leader of the group. They are the North Mississippi Plein Air Painters. I am mostly a studio painter but do go out if the weather is cool to paint when I'm invited. So (disclaimer here) I'm not the only news source for plein air events in Mississippi, but I do play that role on this blog. If anyone in MS ever has a painting event that I don't know about, just send me your copy and some photos for the blog!  

Susan Patton of Bruce, MS

Here is a photo my daughter artist Susan Patton texted me from the Oxford square this spring telling me she sold her painting right off the easel to a client of hers, an Ole Miss alumni who was in town from North Carolina. Susan was already painting their daughter's portrait so that was a serendipitous moment for them both!  

Susan Patton painting on the square in Oxford, Mississippi. 

  

Susan is known for her lovely plein air work (see images below) but also has a love and interest in portraiture. I love her versatility and here are images of her judging a show in Tennessee and also doing a demo en plein air and teaching portraiture at one of her workshops. She has taught this year in MS, TN and soon will be teaching at an already sold out workshop in Panama City, FL!   You go girl!!

Susan assisting a student in one of her workshops here at my studio.

Susan Patton demo in a Tennessee Plein Air competition in spring of 2018 where she served as judge.

©2018 Susan Patton Art - portrait commission. 

Marc Hanson, OPAM of Pontotoc, MS

My friend Marc Hanson is all over the place. Look at his work on his website. It's inspiring! He lives in Pontotoc but not really because he travels so much. He's sweet and amazing. I'm so happy for him that he was named an Oil Painters of America Master painter this year! He's an "artist's artist" and I like to mention him to people just to make it sound like Pontotoc is a popular art destination, since he lives here.  Marc has been painting around Pontotoc (where he lives- did I mention that?) and other parts of Mississippi, but also travels. A lot. 

This year Marc has painted in Indiana, North and South Carolina coasts, Florida, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, Georgia, Indiana and other places. He was  teaching in most of those places, judging big National shows, etc., ..........and speaking of teaching- He is teaching here this fall at our workshop again! We already have people coming to Pontotoc from New York and even Mexico. When you have workshops in rural areas with master artists you bring the world to our small town! There are still a couple of openings left in his workshop here so contact us HERE if interested. 

Marc Hanson painting at Plein Air South in Port St Joe, 2018.

Marc Hanson paining in Mississippi.

Please note: Correct dates are September 24-29, 2018 for Marc's workshop in MS! 

My Own Plein Air 2018

I favor painting outside... but only in cool weather. So far this year I have been painting around here some and also in Gadsden, Alabama's Plein Air Invitational again, and also in Ocean Springs as described below. We had beautiful weather! 

Knew this was going to be a good one as soon as I glanced at the scene.

The finished painting. (Sold)

Early morning fog was lifting fast as the sun rose......

The above as a finished painting, Available.

As I said, I also went to Ocean Springs at the invitation of event host, my good friend artist Jerrod Partridge who hosted the La Côte en Plein Air - Ocean Springs, MS.  When Jerrod invited me to paint I came down to do it and also to swap out some paintings to the Pink Rooster Gallery there as well.  So I called my good friend Debbie High of Lumberton, MS to go with me. Boy did we have fun! 

My dear friend Phil Sandusky of New Orleans was also invited and I got to see him, and also had the opportunity to get to know some of the Mississippi Gulf Coast painters who were there as well. Like Curtis Jaunsen. Love his remarkable work and it was a treat to finally meet him and become friends.

Phil Sandusky and Dot Courson painting in Ocean Springs

The start of one of my paintings. I love little pink houses!! But I didn't finish it an wiped it off!

This actually was awarded "Artists Choice" believe it or not! ©2018 Dot Courson

Debbie High in her painting apron talking to one of the coastal artists.

Flyer for the event. It was exceptional!! 

Workshops for Plein Air Artists

As I mentioned above Marc Hanson is teaching September 24-28, 2018 and we have a couple spots left. I have had many people who have said they were sending checks but have not yet so first come, first serve. 

This spring we had Jason Saunders of Tennessee teaching en plein air painting. Here is he group out on a cool morning:  

Below is a plein air painting I did of  our neighbor, Mr. Kemp's barn. It is 11x14 and I'm giving it to he and his wife as a gift for letting us (along with about a hundred different artists) paint on all his property all these years!  

Kemp Barn 11x14 Oil. ©2018|Dot Courson

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Y'all Come Paint Mississippi!

This year there was a huge event called Fondren en Plein Air. Artists from 4 states attended and painted their little hearts out in the little section of Jackson, MS. 

Dean Blackwell and Mississippi Art Productions,LLC worked in conjunction with Courson Art Productions, LLC (AKA Dot Courson Fine Art and Workshops)  to do this event. We recently changed the name to reflect both me and my husband because it's truly a partnership.  I'm blessed to have my husband's help- that's why I'm able to participate and help in so many art events!

Our esteemed judges were Mississippi artist Wyatt Waters, Alabama's Craig Reynolds and Tom Pearson from the Mississippi Arts Commission. 

 

There were many great sponsors including Plein Air Magazine- and an article written up in the Clarion Ledger.

We had a great turn out at the show! 

Upcoming Events:

 Columbia, Mississippi Plein Air Event
Go to this link on Facebook, for how to register:  https://www.facebook.com/events/997306026997032/
Notice- Deadline is October 17, 2015 to register.

Plein Air South 2016

Hope everyone attends the Plein Air South Gathering of Plein Air Artists in Apalachicola next spring. Here is a link: https://pleinairsouth.wildapricot.org/ or just go to Facebook and search for Plein Air South! 

Sold!!! ©DotCourson

Love,

Dot Courson

Dawn Whitelaw at Dot Courson Workshops - October 2014

Love the new Mississippi "Celebrating Mississippi's Creative Culture" license plates with the image of a guitar. So I made my tag personalized this year with a nod to "Plein Air"...in Mississippi! 

Plein Air News for October 2013---Dawn Whitelaw Workshop at Dot Courson Workshops in October. 

The photos below are from Dawn's classes in our backyard and also in Stafford Park in Pontotoc, MS:

Elaine Shields of Tuscaloosa, AL

Donna McVey and Beth Lloyd  of Jackson, MS and Dianne Agnew of Collinsville.

Dawn with Bekah Haslett.

The group watching Dawn Whitelaw do a demo in our backyard.:

We had a ball!  Here are more pictures from Dawn Whitelaw's workshop with 16 artists form around the south painting in Pontotoc, MS!

Karen Bennett of Kokomo, MS

Offie Oaks of Kosciusko, MS

Susan Patton of Bruce, MS

Debbie High of Lumberton, MS 

Linda Dees of Canton, MS

Dawn will be returning in August, 2014 to teach a portrait class. For more info on that workshop CLICK HERE. 

Other news:

 My backyard painting of Backlit Trees won an honorable mention awarded by California artist Peggy Kroll Roberts in Nashville in October. To see me painting it on my blog CLICK HERE.