Plein
air painting is and has been an important part of the life and work of
the artists of Trio Fine Art. And much of this painting practice takes
place at the foot and in the heart of the mountains surrounding Grand
Teton National Park.
As
I'm sure you all know, this month marks the 100th anniversary of the
National Parks Service (NPS), and as such, the 100th anniversary of our
beautiful Grand Teton National Park. Art and the NPS go hand in hand;
early explorers to the area, particularly Thomas Moran of the Hayden
Geological Survey of 1871, incorporated sketch and painting into their
study of the land. "The story of Thomas Moran's paintings and
Henry Jackson's photography really showcases the impact of art. It was
their images that convinced Congress to set aside Yellowstone as a park,
" says Kathryn Turner. "Art is a powerful medium - whether photography,
film, or fine art. It touches us at a deep, emotional level, and this
stays with us."
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"Wetlands" 16 x 20 oil on canvas by Kathryn Mapes Turner. Found on page 192 of
Painters of Grand Teton National Park.
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The National Museum of Wildlife Art has had an
ongoing exhibition celebrating the artistic history of our beautiful
mountain land, entitled Grand Teton National Park in Art: Painting the Park from Thomas Moran to Today.
Continuing now through September 5th, one can see the mountains as the
early explorers first saw them - mapped out in photography, pen, and
paint. Although, Grand Teton National Park and the Greater Yellowstone
area have gone through a lot of changes since Ansel Adams photographed
them. More has been explored and is accessible. More development
blossomed in and around the Park. More people flock to the rocky land.
And the mountains themselves look a little different. "Warmer climate
has melted the glaciers on the mountains. There were more year-round
snowfields to paint. This can be seen in the paintings of Conrad
Schwering," says Kathryn.
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"Hoback Junction Blues" 8 x 10 oil on board by Jennifer Hoffman.
Found on page 175 of
Painters of Grand Teton National Park.
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A more encompassing look at the development of the land surrounding Jackson Hole can be found on the pages of
Donna and James Poulton's book Painters of Grand Teton National Park. Providing
a history on the Parks, the exploration of the Greater Yellowstone
area, and the flood of tourism to it, Donna & James tell the story
of this mountain land through art. And the artists of Trio Fine Art help
to illustrate this story. An excerpt from page 175 of the book by
Jennifer Hoffman "elegantly describes" the hardships and wonders of
plein air painting.
"When
painting outdoors, we have to endure challenging light, wind, heat,
cold, sudden storms, driving rain, sleet, snow, hail, sunburn, and all
manner of insects - often all in one day!... But one of the things I
love about painting is that when I'm out in the field, basically
standing in one place for a few hours, I become part of the environment
to the creatures who live there... At the end of the day, sometimes the
paintings work and sometimes they don't, but the experience and the
inspiration is beyond compare."
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"Red Roofs of the Bar BC" 16 x 20 oil on linen by Bill Sawczuk. Found on page 148 of
Painters of Grand Teton National Park.
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August was beautiful, albeit a little smokey, but September is now
here, and you can feel Fall slowly creeping through the valley in the
rustling of leaves and the cool touch of the breeze. It's a beautiful
time to be in Jackson Hole, less busy with people and more so with the
stirring of animals as they prepare for the onset of winter. And it's a
beautiful time to try and capture the red, gold, and orange colors of
Fall with a camera, paintbrush, or pencil. No matter where you are, take
a moment to see and feel the changing of seasons. And get inspired by
the wonder and magic of our beautiful Earth.
