Artistic Approaches with Surprising Comparisons

This will be a fun newsletter to write and I'm going to start with an historic art story.
Monet and Renoir were friends and during one summer they painted plein air, (or outside) the Seine River.  Back then, they had bathing establishments where people would gather, connect, and swim in clothing that covered most of their bodies.
They sat side by side and painted the same landscape.

Bathers at La Grenouillere by Claude Monet, 1869.
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La Grenouillere by August Renoir

Monet paints wonderful, tiny details.  Some say he paints with an urgency to what he views.  The landscape occupies the top half of the painting and the waterscape the lower half.  This painting does have a human element with women chatting and small figures in the water, but Monet's painting is always more about the water, wind, light, and reflections.  He is a systematic, loose painter, and paints with big brushes and makes the same  strokes with thick paint and covers the entire canvas.  Look at all those horizontal and vertical strokes.  
 
Renoir's version has many more figures which is his preference.  This particular bathing establishment is where gentle folk would go to drink and party the afternoon away.  Renoir captured the softness in the receding landscape and flowey materials of his subjects clothing.  His paint strokes are rounded and plump and he utilizes a variety of strokes.  He has a much more controlled style.
They both were Impressionistic painters using light brush strokes, everyday subject matter, and movement.

 
Which brings me to a contemporary comparison.

I rather enjoy writing about myself and my river hiking artist friend, Sarah, in the same context as Monet and Renoir!  Ha!  Please allow my folly.
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Patrice paints with acrylic paints on canvas and utilizes a glazing technique to  add watery dimensions to her paintings.

Sarah is a watercolor expert who paints shapes in spectacular colors on high quality paper.  Her weaving of shapes creates the movements she experiences in watery scenes.

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Sarah and I are in our third year of exploring all aspects of water flow and falls, movements, reflections, and calm.  We arrive at our location early and have breakfast and coffee at riverside.  We do not set up and paint plein air as Monet and Renior but will each wander off our own ways to observe, take photos and videos and make notes, for studio painting later.

One morning Sarah sent me the above image she had just finished.  I immediately recognized the very place and sent her the image of my version, which led to discussions, which led to the both of us obtaining a two person show at the Dee Denton Gallery in Lake Oswego this coming July. 

We will display our work and although our approaches are quite different... we do share the desire to paint our world, appreciate, and recreate near some of the finest waterways. 
I think that makes us more alike than different!

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If you are in the mood to see art up close... 
 my art  is at the following locations:

Salem on the Edge
156 Liberty St NE
Salem, Oregon  97301


Emerald Art Center...May 2 thru June 2, 2023
500 Main St
Springfield, Oregon  97477


Dee Denton Gallery... July 1 thru July 30, 2023
368 S State St
Lake Oswego, Oregon  97034


Painter's Showcase Exhibit & Sale
Grand Hotel Bridgeport... August 25-27, 2023
7265 SW Hazel Fern Rd
Tigard, Oregon  97224 


www.patricecameronfineart.com

Have a wonderful May!
Blessings,
Patrice