Dan's Cover Artist Megan Euell Talks Painting En Plein Air

This week’s cover art, “Along a Beach Road,” comes to us from Megan Euell. Here she shares her painting process, what attracts her to a location, and the benefits and practical considerations when painting en plein air.

A Conversation with Megan Euell

Tell us about this painting, “Along a Beach Road.” Where is it? What inspired you to paint the scene?

I created this painting en plein air in Southampton. It’s a favorite painting location of mine, and a local hidden gem with countless views — bay, marsh, osprey nest, charming cottages, boats. It was painted as a demo during a workshop I was teaching and then I continued to push it to finish on location.

Did the collision of the man-made power lines and boats with the otherwise rich, natural setting attract you to this spot?

Yes! I loved the juxtaposition of these elements, and was very interested in it from an abstract perspective. There are so many angles and rhythms of the sandy path and grasses, the roadway, telephone lines. I loved the quintessential East End osprey nest and scrubby pines. I was also trying to challenge myself to create a painting with a less obvious composition. I paint in a representational manner — meaning my style is a representation of life, not meant to be photorealistic. While its very classical in style, I like to try and incorporate things that bring my composition into the present (like the power lines, or a mural on a wall, or a construction crane, for instance), really grounding the piece in the current day.

We know you paint en plein air. Can you share a bit about your process? Do you start and finish it all in one sitting outside? Do you bring it home and finish in the studio?

My process often begins with driving around and choosing locations prior to the painting session — taking photos, doing thumbnail sketches and making notes about the lighting, shadows, tide and such. I work mainly on birch panels that I prepare with oil ground gesso. I tone them a few days prior to painting with a grayish brown paint. I do my preliminary drawing in vine charcoal and then begin painting. I aim to cover the panel with a “first pass” in about three hours. I often return to the same location two to three times to push the painting further and add details, etcetera. Depending on the level of finish, or if I’m visiting somewhere for a short trip, I’ll then finish the painting in my studio.

What is special about painting in situ vs using a photograph? How does this change the final result or how you achieve it?

Painting on location (or from life in general) gives you a unique experience of being able to capture the changing lighting, weather and elements. I focus on capturing the character — which for me means paying attention to my surroundings. It adds a richness to the painting, and my favorite thing is having a viewer say to me, “I can really feel the wind in this painting,” or the heat of the sun, etcetera. That is exactly what I’m striving to capture, essentially transporting the viewer to the scene, or capturing the atmosphere, the character of the person or place that I’m painting. I enjoy painting from life much more than photos, but photos can be necessary for commissions especially, or finishing a piece in the studio. It’s important to keep in mind that a photo will compress values, change colors, etcetera, and is another reason why I try to work from life as much as possible.

What are some of your favorite places or subjects to paint?

I love painting on eastern Long Island where I grew up. Both the North and South Forks have so many unique spots and I will always be partial to the terrain. I also love painting in Italy where I studied and lived for three years. The colors, textures and patina there are so beautiful, and it’s always fun to paint things that don’t exist where I live — like stone buildings, rolling hills and cypress trees. I just had the pleasure of painting in upstate New York, in the Adirondack region, and that was breathtaking.

Do you have any dream locations you’d like to paint? Or anything planned for this fall?

Some dream painting locations are Greece, England and Japan. Because I enjoy plein air painting so much, I find something interesting to paint anywhere I go. Currently I am focusing on cityscape painting, as I am based in Brooklyn. I’m planning to work on more paintings in Manhattan — I just started one in Central Park. I’m also working on a life-size portrait series.

Any shows or projects coming up? Where can people find your work?

I’ll be in an upcoming show this fall at Salmagundi Club in NYC. You can see my work in person anytime by visiting my painting studio in Brooklyn at Industry City, which is open to the public Thursday–Sunday, or by contacting me. And check out my Instagram, @meganeuell_artist, and my website meganeuell.com for recent work, process, and information about upcoming classes and workshops.

Anything you’d like to add?

If you’d like to learn techniques to draw and paint from life, I work with private students in my workshop in Brooklyn, as well as run landscape painting courses in the summer out in the Hamptons. I also teach a studio class once a week at the Long Island Academy of Fine Art in Glen Cove. I am available for charcoal and oil painting commissions. You can email info@meganeuell.com to inquire.