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Workshops Show How To Paint In The 'En Plein Air' Style

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 14, 2009

Local muralist and outdoor painter extraordinaire Terry Klaaren will share his passion for painting "en plein air" in workshops at various locations in the coming months.

His intention is to show it's fun, low stress and inspiring to paint in the open air.

"The reason this got started is because I've been working in schools for about 10 years now and I found out by doing that that I really like being a demonstrator and getting people to do a painting," the artist said in a telephone interview. "The next thing you know, the kids are asking me questions, and I start becoming a teacher. I found that I really love it."

Although he has painted since childhood, he shied away from painting outdoors until 2001.

"When I turned 50, my big birthday celebration was to go to France and paint Van Gogh paintings on the spot where he painted," Klaaren said. "In order to do that I had to paint in public. And I found out that people like watching artists paint, and they all are very nice. Painting on site allows you to feel like a real honest-to-God artist, and you inspire people sometimes. And I figured if it was that good for me, maybe other people would like to learn to do it."

This is the third winter Klaaren has held his three-hour Saturday classes.

"This is a situation where you need to paint in a couple of hours, because the scene changes so fast," he said. "So I came up with an essential formula of how to do this."

The first half-hour is basic instructions. The next two hours, Klaaren gives individual technical advice, and the last half-hour is for critique.

Klaaren provides the canvas board. Registrants bring acrylic paints and a bag lunch. The cost is $30 per class, with family rates available.

The next class is Saturday at 10 a.m. at Morris Bridge Park. E-mail Klaaren at info@ klaarenart.com or phone (813) 985-9200 to register or to find out dates of future classes.

Exhibit Focuses On Events Of the 1960s
The art gallery on the Dale Mabry Highway campus of Hillsborough Community College will host an exhibit called "And Freedom For All," that celebrates Black History Month in February. The exhibit features photographs of Martin Luther King Jr. as well as other people and events in the Civil Rights Movement.

Selected from more than a million published and unpublished images from the historic archives of LOOK magazine photographer, Stanley Tretick, the 48 photos in the exhibit primarily are of The 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where King delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

Exhibited at the same time but in a separate area will be 15 to 20 photos of John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy from another ArtVision exhibit called "Once Upon a Dream."

"Some of the images in the show are very famous because they were in LOOK magazine," said gallery director Elsa Villa. "When you look at them, you will remember seeing them before, like John-John underneath the desk."

The exhibit opens with a free reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and runs through Feb. 28. The gallery is at 4001 Tampa Bay Blvd. Call Villa at (813) 253-7386 for information.

Call For Artists For Local Show

Tampa Realistic Artists invite all artists to submit two-dimensional works for the Second Annual Bay Area Show, scheduled for Feb.3 through March 6 at the Old Hyde Park Art Center.

"Anything that will hang on the wall is acceptable," said TRA president Kathy Durdin. "There will be awards in five categories: photography, watercolors, acrylics, oil and everything else."

Additionally, there will be merit awards and honorable mentions as well as a $400 best of show award.

Entrants should bring their completed and ready-to-be-hung work to the center at 705 Swann Ave., between noon and 3 p.m. Jan. 29 through Feb. 1.

For information, a prospectus and an entry form, go to www.tamparealistic artists.com.

Gallery Repeats Popular Show

Each year, Clayton Galleries celebrates the new year with a solo exhibit of new works by Craig Rubadoux, and this year is no different.

Opening with a free reception from 7 to 9 p.m. the exhibit features watercolors, oils on canvas and paper, and mixed media works, all relating to his recent travels.

It is up through Feb. 21.

The gallery is at 4105 S. MacDill Ave. Call (813) 831-3753 for details.

Correspondent Esther Hammer can be reached at (813) 259-7662 or ehammer@tampatrib.com.

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