INDOORS, OUTDOORS, AND BACK AGAIN

Many plein air painters are also studio painters, and while the streams of production may differ, a dialogue exists between the two activities. The speed and decisiveness required to pull off plein air paintings, for instance, can lead to a greater clarity of design and more active brush or palette knife work back in the studio. Tapping into the feelings of being immersed in the landscape can also enable the artist to sustain a sense of excitement when working over a longer period of time indoors. At the same time, knowledge gained in the studio, including experience with layering, manipulating paint, and adding finishing details, can prove invaluable in the field.

So it is for Lindsey Kustusch, a California-based painter who finds that her richly layered studio paintings are enlivened and enriched by her experiences painting out of doors. Initially a studio artist, it took her some time to give plein air painting a try. “I have always loved the idea of painting outdoors, but the reality of it all was extremely intimidating,” she says. “I attempted it several times toward the beginning of my career and would come home at the end of the day with my ego crushed. So I focused on what I could control and worked for years in the studio before giving it another shot. I think it was important for me