‘En plein air’ with Lucy Reitzfeld
Posted in Adult Education on February 10 2012, by Education at NYBG
“Chasing the light” is a phrase you’ll sometimes hear used by visual artists–often photographers and, in a slightly different sense, painters. The importance of illumination defines the form and attitude of what’s captured on canvas. And in the case of Lucy Reitzfeld’s art, it becomes a fundamental theme. Her paintings have centered on a search for “palpable” light, that which strikes the facades of skyscrapers and seems to fall on untouched snow–the instances when light appears to move and morph in such a way that you might reach out and touch it.
Along with Lucy’s husband, Robert Reitzfeld, the creative pair’s unique aesthetics work in complementary contrast, creating impressions from the rural and the urban. But for Lucy, whose work often straddles the line between in-the-field experiences and the insulated creativity of the studio, the methods of crafting are somewhat different. The traditions of the Impressionists and the plein air method are alive and well in her interpretations of the world around her.
Lucy’s reimaginings of her surroundings are “all the more impressive for their evolution away from the motif,” says curator Robert G. Edelman. “They are worked out in the studio, from a compilation of sketches, family photographs and pastoral recollections. Ultimately, they are a cumulative response to a place and time, rather than an attempt at documentation or realism.”
And aspiring gallery artists will soon have the opportunity to practice the method for themselves.
At points in May, June, and September of 2012, Lucy will join us here at the NYBG to host seasonal oil painting workshops en plein air, or “in the open air,” guiding classes out into the greenery of the Garden to teach and encourage the interpretation of what they see through landscapes and still life paintings. But for those who don’t wish to wait until spring to experience such artistry, there’s an ongoing opportunity to see Lucy’s work in person. From now through Sunday, February 26, the Reitzfelds’ art will be on display at the John Davis Gallery in Hudson, New York.
With this spring’s premier exhibition nearing arrival, Lucy Reitzfeld’s art and instruction provide a timely link to the Impressionists of the past. Monet’s Garden–The New York Botanical Garden’s exploration of Claude Monet’s work at Giverny–will soon unveil a vista to this champion of the plein air method that Reitzfeld now executes with such nuance. More than a chance at seeing a simple glass case display, this spring the NYBG unveils artistry across a breadth of experience from the museum to your home studio.
Through the eyes of the great Impressionists, the botanical landscape takes on an entirely new sheen of aesthetic opportunity. Join us with the return of New York’s mild spring weather for a go at chasing the light on your own canvas.
Class attendees will be required to bring their own art supplies for this course, all of which are detailed here. As always, sign up early for the best opportunity to reserve a spot.
