I believe that it is essential for artists to paint from life. Art is an expression of an artist’s experience and observation of the subject.
This will not make sense if an artist has never painted from life. When we observe the subject live, we see the air and light around the subject or in the landscape.
If you have not personally witnessed something from history, nature, or a human connection, then you will have a more difficult time painting a compelling story for the viewer.
An artist must think visually which means seeing the painting in your mind and storing it in your memory. Imagine the image that you want to paint in a clear, simple, and beautiful way.
Intensify the light; play with the shadows. See the colors, then, add contrast from warm to cool and dark to light. Imagine the painting clearly in your mind before you ever lay your brush to canvas.
With the success of Baumann’s weekly PBS television series, “The Grand View America’s National Parks through the Eyes of an Artist,” millions of people witness for themselves the magic Baumann portrays on canvas, his passion for nature and the American landscape.
Through his mastery of light, color and artful composition, Baumann invites you to experience nature in its purity.
It is no wonder that for many years distinguished American collectors, including former American presidents and financial icons, have sought out his work.
