The
Perennial Appeal of Farmlands
by Roger Dale Brown. OPA
(Past President of PAP-SE)
I
love to paint all types of rural subjects, whether natural or
man-made,
mostly because it allows me to paint outdoors. Rural themes, such
as
old barns and cows standing in the field, never seem to lose
their
visual interest. The familiarity of farmlands is comforting not
only
to me, but also to most viewers.
In
paintings, however, rural landscapes can look a little hokey if
the artist gets too caught up in the details of the subject
matter
rather than looking for a more artistic angle. Since I am aware
that farmlands have been depicted in highly rendered and
clichéd ways over the years, I approach rural scenes by finding 
the artistry and mood in the subject.
The
way I do this is to define what i
n the scene interests me, and then I think
of the subject abstractly—not acknowledging
that a cow is a cow, but rather just another
object or shape to be painted in patterns of
light, shadow, color and value. By
painting a
cow or barn into the landscape—instead of as a
separate object that stands on its own—it lends a cohesiveness
or unity to the painting.
When
painting landscapes, I first define the big masses such as
a hillside, a mass of trees, the ground plane and sky. Then I
paint
the patterns of light, shadow and midtones within these big planes.
I look for any temperature shifts in color, and also for
reflective light,
that I could paint to make the patterns more interesting.
Light
plays the biggest role in capturing the beauty of rural
landscapes.
I love to paint in the early morning and late afternoon.
A barn or shed backlit by the setting sun can really play up the
mood
of the scene: roofs, windows, fences and trees can come to life
with such quality of light.
Texture
is another element that can enliven a rural landscape.
The rich and textured patina of aging tin roofs and weathered
wood makes it easy to convey a rustic, earthy mood, allowing
the viewer to feel the
environment.
If
the viewer reacts to the scene on canvas the same
way I did while painting it, then I've accomplished my
goal of sharing the enduring beauty and artistry of a rural landscape.
