After my trip to Portland I decided to do more plein air painting. Landscape is alive and well on the west coast, tha'ts for sure. I understand why guys like Dickinson did so much landscape, it's a great way to build your painting chops. It is so challenging. You move fast - so does everything else! I have been really focusing on the shape-life, complexion, and tonality in painting lately and there's nothing like landscape to force you to simplify, simplify, simplify. This time I met up with a former classmate at P.A.F.A., Mike Manley. He showed me around Brandywine where he paints pretty often. I had never been there and I felt that to be a little shameful considering it is Andrew Wyeth's backyard.
