Plein Air Oil Paintings by SusieHyer

Plein Air Paintings

In the tradition of the Barbizon School and the Impressionists, painting “en plein air” is about capturing the light and atmosphere, time of day and sense of place. I try to keep it to an hour or so because the light changes so fast that the colors and values change, and a painter must stay focused on the original intention of the painting or he/she will be chasing the light and the painting will never be resolved. Challenging and great fun, I paint in all kinds of conditions, from standing in the cold and snow in the late hours of the night, to the sweltering heat of the tropics, to sitting in the back of the car with the hatch open because it may be raining or snowing (or the hatch is closed because of the windy conditions.) Mostly I am painting on a pochade box but sometimes I use a French easel if the work is larger than 11x14 or 12x16. For a landscape painter, working plein air allows one to become part of the landscape, the painter and the painted to have an intimate connection.

Plein Air Autumn

Colorado Gold (Gothic Peak From Red Mtn) 9x12

Morning On the Creek
8x8

Telluride Sunset
6x8

Foose Creek Aspens
16x12

Ticky Tacky Tipi
8x10 Sold

Uli's Aspens
16x12

Afternoon Aspens 1
6x8

Continental Divide 8x12

Wednesday's Aspens
8x10

Afternoon Aspens 2
6x8

Plein Air Summer

The Forgotten Ones 12x16	The Raven 9x12 Sold	Lakeside Cottage 9x12
Alleyway Trailer 9x12	Afternoon Pastures 6x8 Winner Victor's Plein Air 2009	Harbor At Gils Rock 9x12 Sold
Bridal Veil Falls 12x9 Homestead Tractor 9x12 3rd Place Colorado Mtn Plein Air 2010 Sopris Summer 11x14 Sold	Morning Splendor 20x10 Estes View 12x16 Chili Pepper Overcast 9x12	Leftovers 9x12 Cherry Orchard on Red Cherry Road 12x16 Rocky Mtn Dry Dock 12x16
	Morning on the Arkansas 8x10 Sold
Harbor Reflections 16x12	Morning on the Arkansas 8x10 Sold	Beetle Kill Beauties 16x12

Plein Air Spring

Creek At Singing River Ranch 12x16	Morning Lupines 9x12 Sold	Springtime in Sonoma 6x8
Sonoma, Spring Vineyards 12x9	Bridal Veil Falls, Telluride 12x9	Spring Aspens, Brush Creek 12x9
Slate River in Spring 9x12	Evening Patio Umbrellas 9x12	Spring At Oak Hill Farms 9x12 Sold
Overlooking The Vineyards 6x8	Monday Overcast 6x8	Doug and Marjie's Pond 9x12

Plein Air Winter

April on Bear Creek 9x12	Early Light, Winter Peaks 6x12	Winter Shadow Study 6x8
Winter Drive 9x12	Snow Day 12x16	Powder Day 2 6x8
Snow Covered Field in Pink and Green 9x12	Powder Day 1 7x6	Last Leaves of Autumn 12x9
Twin Lakes Cabin 9x12	Snow Pillows 8x11 Sold	Storm's Comin' 9x12