Anne and Ian: painting on location

Gallery artists Anne Ward and Ian Roberts love to travel, but had to modify where and when they could explore new places to paint during the past year. Based in Los Angeles, mini-excursions to Santa Barbara and even farther to Marcia Burtt’s Ranch have provided new inspiration during these cloistered months.

Anne Ward: I normally don’t plan much before starting a painting. I really try to respond to the shapes and color and light before the day vanishes. Sometimes on a painting trip it can take me a few days to accommodate to the new light quality and surroundings and try to extract impressions. It requires flexibility to see new things and respond in paint to the aspects that are meaningful.

Ian Roberts: At Goleta Beach I love the close interplay between water, beach and cliffs. Plus marshes and estuaries. The mouth of the slough has a rich contrast of big shapes, distinguishing it from LA where the cliffs are hundreds of yards away and separated by a highway.

Anne: I had a frustrating day of oil paintings that didn’t work. So I took an hour or two to use my iPad to get clearer on what was resonating for me. I really felt drawn to the garden and trying to paint it.

Anne: I like that sense of jeopardy between putting down an over-the-top color and seeing how far it’s possible to push something and still get it to work in harmony with everything else. How can I wash in the pure luminous color that approximates what I’m seeing and nail it without tempering it with opacity?

This trip, that felt more possible using acrylic gouache.* And at home when working really large outside that feels possible in oils.

*Acrylic gouache is an acrylic paint that dries flat and matte like traditional gouache. But once dry, it can’t be reconstituted and changed.

Ian: Visiting Marcia up at her ranch felt like a real painting trip. I knew I was going to paint. We were there for just two nights, but each morning and afternoon walking from the house I found lots to paint.

Anne: Probably the best part of the trip for me was to be able to give Marcia a hug, connect with a good friend and to talk about the painting process at her dinner table.

Anne: We took the long road back and stopped in Ojai. I painted a small piece overlooking the valley that I’ve always wanted to capture.

Both Anne and Ian love to share their skills and knowledge about painting on their social media accounts.

Anne’s Instagram often features her cherished garden and the paintings it inspires, as well as videos of her iPad sketches.

Ian’s YouTube channel and Instagram are full of painting tips and guidance to becoming a better artist.

If you prefer the tactile quality of books:

Ian Robert’s Creative Authenticity, an important book for all artists, can be ordered online here and Mastering Composition, the best-selling book on composition, here.

Anne’s book, If Paintings Could Talk: an iPad Journal, a resource on using a tablet to enhance your art practice, can be ordered online here.