Maui was the destination and my hope was to meet and talk with Darrell Hill at the Maui Plein Air Invitational that takes place annually around Valentine's day. His work inspired me as an artist, trying to grow in my craft. I did not know how you could possibly paint great works such as his in a short amount of time, many times in an hour or less, and in the elements. A huge loss to the Maui art community was his death shortly before the Invitational in 2013.
I had a chance to meet and observe a few excellent artists. Thomas Jefferson Kitts was one of the experts I had a chance to meet and watch work. Simple strokes, precise color made
the images come to life. Not obvious here was the drizzling rain and the canvas was wet, the oil and water not mixing, and not interfering. Examining the work in progress by Artist Kitts and others, including Mike Carroll of Lanai'i
who were capturing the same scene but with imagery unique to their vision. To be able to be present to compare and contrast to work in progress was an enlightening learning experience for me. I was determined to master this art, but competing? Not yet for me.
The #Maui #Plein #Air #Art Invitational was a fantastic event, you should visit the closest one near you!