I
am an
artist residing in Texas and have painted in
plein air for
many years around the United States in various places
including Yellowstone National Park. Grand Teton Natl. Park,
Big Bend, Rocky Mountain National Park, Arches, Canyonlands,
Mesa Verde and many more. For the first several years of my
painting career I painted primarily landscapes with my
preferred medium being pastel, however my genre has expanded
to cityscapes / figurative and watercolor and pastel are
both used on a regular basis. Many of my plein air paintings
are sold on the spot before I can even get them completed,
which is always fun for me because I get to meet the person
whose interest/connection I stirred. I always take a digital
image of the painting and archive it so that I may expand on
a larger version back in my studio.
I love painting
outdoors with the fleeting light falling on my subject and
because people are so friendly and accommodating. The only
disconcerting experience I ever had was a persistent Gray
Jay flying at my head and
easel while painting at Jenny Lake
in Grant Teton a few years ago. I quickly figured out I was
intruding on her space too close to her nest, which I could
not see, but still I quickly moved to a safer, quieter spot
for all concerned. Since, I have had a similar experience
painting at the Botanical Gardens in San Antonio where 3
white geese decided to circle around me as I painted
squawking and flapping their wings at me. I guess everybody's
a critic!
Jan Ottley 2010