One South Mississippi Artist's Journey

By guest artist Karen Bennett of Kokomo, MS

Karen- Honorable Mention, SMAA WCU Show, 2018

My Journey with art started about 13 years ago when I walked into an Artist’s studio and ‘Felt’ the flowing water and gentle breeze from the canvas on her easel. Art is not only in the ‘Eye of the Beholder’ but also the ‘Emotion of the Soul’—Karen Bennett.

“ I have to do this!” was my thought. From that day forward I have sat under many teachers from across the nation to learn and grow as an artist. 

Light in Darkness, 2017 SMAA, WCU Show

The expression of the soul on canvas is such an emotional and beautiful thing. To call myself an ‘Artist’ is quite a humbling title; for my visual art journey began later in life. The more I learn, the more I learn what I do not know. But the journey is worth it!

Plein Air Photo, courtesy of Cooper French

After years of studio painting, I attended a workshop and learned about Plein Air painting. That was such an awe inspiring moment. To me plein air painting was like standing next to the Great Artist in His house (landscape); soaking in the beauty all around. To attempt to paint on canvas what I see around me is such an awesome privilege. I feel His presence all around. Plein Air painting on vacations is a great way to document my adventures and the beauty of our nation.

Summer Sunset in Cedars Show, 2017

In January, 2017 I signed up for the Strada Easel 31 day ‘Painting from Life’ challenge to paint something (still life, figure or plein air, if weather permitted) from life, every day for 31 days. At the end of the month, everyone that participated everyday would have their name in a drawing for a Strada easel. I really wanted a strada easel and knew that painting everyday would be a great opportunity for growth, so I signed up. I made a commitment to myself to paint plein air everyday, no matter the weather. I figured a few cold days, but nothing bad; this is South Mississippi, we wear t’shirts at Christmas.

I was in for some extreme challenges. 

2017 Plein Air Strada Art Challenge

We had some of the coldest days, stormy days with tornadoes in our neighboring city, Icy days, windy days, rainy days and a few sunny days. What a challenge I signed up for, willingly. This turned out to be a great challenge with great rewards. Yes, rewards, plural. 
The perseverance to get outdoors everyday, no matter the weather and find a subject to paint took planning and organization. I ‘had’ to plan and prepare meals, watch the weather forecast, organize and schedule appointments and activity to allow ‘paint time’.

At first, my husband said ‘you’re crazy painting in this kind of weather’, then he started helping me find locations around the farm and community to paint and helping me watch the weather forecasts and then by the end of the month he stood at the door watching me paint the hay in the pasture and told me when I came inside “I’m proud of you and your dedication to this challenge and I want you to order that easel, you deserve it with all the hard work you’ve done to see it through.” 

Karen with husband Danny

Hearing him say how proud he was of me for following through no matter what, was a Bonus I had not expected, regardless of getting a new easel! I didn’t win the easel, but did order it a few months later, with his insistence. 

Plein Air Art in Oddfellows Gallery Hattiesburg Photo credits to Oddfellows.

But the reward was more than the easel. It was time with the Creator, painting his creation, family & friends cheering me on, surprising myself when I made it through everyday no matter the weather; it was Growth in all aspects. Some of the paintings turned out ok, some were not so good and some were pretty nice. One of the January paintings,  “Light in the Darkness” was juried into the 2017 South MS Art Assn. William Carey University show in Hattiesburg, MS. and another one “The Hay Patch” won 2nd place at the South MS Art Assn. Christmas show, 2017. And I also sold a few. 

2nd place 2017 SMAA Christmas Show

Thanks for allowing me to share part of my journey and my hope is that it has encouraged you to persevere and find that inspiration in your soul. I’m still growing & learning while presently considering the next monthly challenge. Stay tuned…..

2018 New Art Studio 

Bio….

Karen is married to her wonderful husband, Danny. They operate their third generation family Dairy Farm in South Mississippi, where she gets most of her inspiration for her paintings. She also enjoys traveling with Danny across the nation while plein air painting their adventures. She has studied under many renowned artists from across the nation. Galleries representing Karen’s art are: Oddfellows Gallery in Hattiesburg, MS, Artwistic Revolution Art Gallery in Columbia, MS and Gulf South Art Gallery in McComb, MS. She is also a member of local and national Art associations.

Karen invites you to follow her Art Journey on Facebook at Karen Bennett Art, Instagram at Karen Bennett Art and her Website at www.karenbennettart.com

A big thanks to Karen Bennett for her story!

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

 

Email Dot Courson at artist@dotcourson.com to find out how to contribute to this blog.

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An Essay on Plein air and Studio Work

by guest blogger Curtis Jaunsen of Ocean Springs, MS

Plein Air East Beach, Morning 8x10 by Curtis Jaunsen

One of the things I’ve read about in art marketing essays is that the artist benefits from having a consistent “look” or style to their work. According to this theory, consistent work is easier for the potential collector to connect with, particularly if it is different enough from other artists work that it stands out just by that virtue.

Lemons and Vase 18x18 by Curtis Jaunsen

                I don’t dispute this, it’s something I’ve been trying to be a little more careful about with my work, its just something that I haven’t really achieved yet. I paint inside my studio probably around 75 percent of my working time and outside, ‘en plein air”, the other 25 percent.

Studio Painting, Ocean Springs Sunset 24x36 by Curtis Jaunsen

 I probably paint an even number of landscapes and still lifes with an occasional portrait when the spirit moves me. When I first started out though it was almost exclusively still lifes and then always painted in the slow and careful method I learned from the Florence Academy of Art. In those paintings the subject was light and how it revealed the objects and surroundings in my still life setup. My sole focus was on capturing the atmosphere that gave it all a sense of life. 

A couple things happened over the last few years to change my approach. One was that when I went outside to paint I discovered slow and careful doesn’t really work. The light conditions change too quickly and the artist is almost required to be bold. The other was that after painting a few hundred still lifes in a classical, traditional manner the whole process started to feel repetitive and boring. 

Bowl with Lemons, 9x12 by Curtis Jaunsen

Studio Painting, Coast Harbor, 16x20 by Curtis Jaunsen

Now I have an almost two separate approaches when working. When I’m outside or when I’m inside painting something that I feel needs a more direct treatment I try to paint with the concern being accuracy. I look for the subtleties that require a bit of careful observation but then I try to put it on canvas pretty much as seen with little concern for paint handling, just straight forward brush on canvas. Hopefully these paintings have emotional content but if so probably more from the observation of the scene and less the painting process if that makes sense.

              

When I’m inside my studio however the rules are different. Whether it’s a landscape or still life being painted, I am still looking for subtleties, still looking to create a sense of close observation. I start off my painting as before, carefully drawing and establishing the accurate values and colors, but rather than refine and continue this process, while the paint is still wet, I like to use a variety of methods to move it around, blending objects into the background and vice versa. The process becomes a lot more important, making the paint and how its pushed around as important as the scene being rendered. In the studio I use several different palette knives, a large scraper, a few different putty knives, tissues and paper towels and of course different brushes to put paint down and move it around. 

Glass Vase and Lemons 16x20 by Curtis Jaunsen

During the process I’m looking at the canvas more and the subject less. I can push it into a more realized rendering of the subject or a more abstracted direction. Which direction I go while painting is determined by what I’m seeing on the canvas and whether I think it’s working or not. This open ended process makes the final painting more of a discovery than something predetermined. The best result is one where both the scene and the painted surface look fully observed, meaning you can tell the artist really understood the shifts of light, the gesture of the forms in the scene being painted and the paint itself.

Plein Air- Biloxi Harbor 9x12 by Curtis Jaunsen

One thing I think I’m going to try in the future is bringing some of the studio methods outside. Its good to keep trying new things and maybe that can lead to more consistency.

               Curtis Jaunsen is a Mississippi artist who lives on the Gulf Coast. Formerly an architect practicing in Atlanta, Curtis moved with his family to Mississippi almost twenty years ago to be closer to his wife’s extended family. He began his life as artist by first studying classical painting at the Florence Academy of Art in Florence, Italy. Since 2005 Curtis has been painting portraits, still lifes and landscapes, outside or in his studio in Ocean Springs, MS.

Curtis’s plein air paintings are available at the Pink Rooster Gallery in downtown Ocean Springs. His studio work, including portraits, landscapes and still lifes can be see at the Carol Robinson Gallery on Magazine Street in New Orleans. He will be having a solo show at Carol’s gallery this September 8^th. Additionally his work can be seen online at curtisjaunsenart.com. A link to his facebook and Instagram pages can be found on his website.

A big thanks to Curtis Jaunsen for his story!

Follow this blog about Mississippi artists... In the coming weeks, this site will be publishing works by several plein air painters from around Mississippi. 

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

I'm Social!

Click to join me right now at these links:

Website: www.dotcourson.com. 

Newsletter HERE

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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.

Artists and Mississippi Plein Air Events

This site is dedicated to painting en plein air in Mississippi. 

 “Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.” 

Chief Seattle - Native American (1780-1866)

The new goal of this blog going forward is to allow communication and announcements of open plein air events or open invitational artist gatherings... and to celebrate painting in beautiful Mississippi. This is for announcing events  not covered in my personal art blog.

The best type of painting is when friends are nearby. Anyone is welcome to make invitational announcements in comments section below. Send me links to your blog link if you have an open out-of-state plein air group too.

Trying to promote plein air painting here, so no closed group information or "small members only" or "by invitation only" groups please. Workshop announcements are fine. Why? Because in my opinion there are so few artists painting in plein air that we need to all play together.

Happy Painting!

Judy Ferguson

Susan Patton

Carolyn Watson, Alycia Stegall, Dru Jolly, Bob Boyd

Noel Harris

Kay Heller

Bob Boyd Alicia Stegall, Carolyn Watson

Mississippi Landscape Scenery. Photo©Dot  Courson

Mississippi Sunset. Photo©Dot Courson

Sonny Boatman, volunteer of Corinth Artist Guild Gallery... He doesn't paint, but is a champion of plein air painters in Mississippi.

Mississippi Heat

Summer's heat in Mississippi in the summer is stiffeling. It's technically still spring but its already profoundly humid and hot.

When outside painting I wear a device/ product called Cool Downz which is basically a neck tie that has a gel inside that stays moist and cool. You soak it in water and tie it around your neck to keep you cool. I also wear a lot of sunscreen, a hat and bug spray. I drink bottled water too-  to try and stay cool. But I usually eventually resort to the studio full- time by July.

Artists find refuge inside by July in Mississippi except for a few hardened souls. I 'm a softie. I know very few Mississippi painters who paint daily - dare I say even weekly during July and August summer months.

This month (June) I just did a small painting of our pasture late one afternoon. I gave it to my neighbors who I thought would want it as they came and sat out on their front porch to watch me paint:

We went to Sardis Lake (Redneck Riviera?) the first week of June and although heat indexes got up to over 100 degrees, I managed this little painting one morning:

Both these litlle painting "studies" come INSIDE where they may become larger works finished in my studio.