“Near my home there is a shallow lake that has rushes and water lilies along the shoreline.” Says Lon Brauer, winner of the Best Plein Air Pastel award in the September PleinAir Salon. “When the light drops in the late afternoon, the shadows enhance the shapes and make for wonderful compositions. I painted this piece at about 6:00 in the evening but the image suggested a morning light, thus the title, Sunrise. There are always surprises if we recognize them along the way.
“I’m primarily an oil painter, but of late, I’ve been digging into pastel as an alternative medium. I love the crude yet authentic quality of the mark making. Although a dry medium, it’s nonetheless similar to oil in the way it can describe a scene through bold and deliberate marks. There’s a learning curve with something new, but that’s the challenge that keeps me coming back for more.
“The ‘simplicity’ of pastel is its primary charm. Put it down and leave it alone — that should be a mantra for any medium. Simple pictures are best! I made this painting in 20 minutes. The light was fading so efficiency was key. Pastel can give that immediacy that we often need to make a plein air study. Get in and get out … and move on to the next one!”
ON WINNING THE AWARD
“I was delighted and a bit surprised to win this particular award,” said Brauer. “I’m an oil painter by training so to switch to pastels, and then win an award, says something about the fluidity of moving from one medium to another.”
ADVICE FOR ENTERING COMPETITIONS
“We make paintings, they pile up in the studio, and then we make more. With practice we improve. At some point we want to show the best of the lot to the world. Competitions give us that opportunity. But when are we truly ready? ‘Does my work measure up?’ That’s the big question and it’s not always easy to answer. Entering an art competition is a gamble. No matter how ‘good’ a painting or drawing is, any recognition from a judge is subjective. Awards are given based on the judge’s particular point of view. There are certain mechanics that come into play: line, composition, value, and color. But there is also that certain quality that sets a particular piece apart from the others. What is that? Over time, and a lot of competitions, we begin to see what it is that we need to instill in our own work. It can be allusive. It’s not an exact science but competitions give us artists a way to be part of a community. And within that community we grow our skills and artistic vision. Sometimes we win an award, sometimes not. But it is the playing of the game that helps us grow.”
