An Artist's Impressions From Life: "Catawba Bay Peninsula"

A dear friend sent this deeply moving prayer in response to my sharing the painting below, which won Best of show this past week in the 2009 Ohio Plein Air Competition in Lakeside, Ohio.
Lord, Thank You for Nancy's gift and ability to capture Your handiwork on the canvas. Lord, as Nancy continues to let you perfect Your craft in her, help her to grow and become more and more like You. Lord, teach her and enable her to continue to put on canvas Your work in creation. Father, we give You the praise for her ability.. It is not hers, but Yours. Holy Spirit, continue to guide her hand in choice of subject, selection of color and in the strokes from her brush. Keep her humble, Lord, and may we increasingly see even more of Your creation through her eyes. In Jesus' name, amen.

Nancy Hawkins, Artist

When painting en plein air I’m drawn into a deeper sense of the beauty of the landscape. Capturing in paint some essence of God’s handiwork is an intriguing thrill. Shapes and colors change constantly via the elements, like a kaleidoscope turning as it is held up to the light. Sunlight and shadow, the movement of a breeze, makes painting en plein air so much more stimulating than painting from a photo.

I work to capture that flash of wonder the light reveals to me. Spontaneity contributes to the energy that comes through in my painting. My painting is a celebration of light and color. Light is a metaphor of Christ the creator. Light reveals color, exposing immediate substance. It reveals depth and detail. Light communicates relationships, revealing nuances that continuously change, yet have a timeless source. My Paintings are for sale in the sales gallery of Butler Institute of American Art & The Hoyt Art Center Gift Shop & on Etsy as "Pleinairimpressions". It is my privilege to be a participant in various juried artist shows, Denver Plein Air in Colorado, Ohio Plein Air Society, Butler Museum of American Art, & The Hoyt in New Castle, PA.

http://hoytartcenter.org/gift-shop/dsc02324/,

http://www.butlerart.com/museumshop.htm,

https://www.etsy.com/shop/pleinairImpressions?ref=hdr_shop_menu

I also teach classes in Plein Air Painting at the Hoyt in New Castle, PA

http://easternflash.blogspot.com/2009/12/negley-driving-from-peace-valley.html

http://www.outdoorpainter.com/theres-nothing-like-an-old-coat-says-farthing/