 Although it is one of the most popular styles of painting in history, recently there has been a resurgence of interest in Impressionism in the United States. "People love Impressionist paintings because the Impressionists are really the optimists of the painting world. Their skies are always sunny, their gardens and flowers are lovely, and the women and children they depict are beautiful," says Nancy Langmack, founder of Peconic Bay Originals. "Because Impressionists focus on painting outdoors and capturing the play of sunlight on objects, their paintings tend to be light, bright, and very expressive. Light seems to sparkle off objects in a way that is gorgeous."
Impressionists paint with thick paint using loose brushstrokes, which are visible in the completed painting. Often, they paint two colors side-by-side on the canvas, letting the viewer's eyes optically mix them, rather than actually mixing them before applying them to the canvas. They tend to paint wet paint onto wet paint, rather than letting the first layer dry before applying the second layer. Impressionists take these shortcuts because they are working quickly to capture a sunny moment of time. Capturing changing light with color and fast brushwork is more important than slowly, meticulously depicting the lines and forms in the scene. Impressionists also tend to work outdoors (which is also called "plein air" painting).
Impressionism is now well established as a painting style, but when the Impressionists first started painting in France in the 1860s, their style was criticized as being too loose, modern, and unfinished. Some of the early Impressionists were Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro, and Alfred Sisley. They were viewed as quite radical by their contemporaries because their style was so much different than the established painting style of the time. The established style at that time used somber colors, tiny brushstrokes, and was as representational as possible. Artists were expected to paint historical and religious paintings only and not depict subject matter that was current. The Impressionists, who enjoyed going outside and painting whatever they saw with large, fluid brushstrokes, created a complete departure from the established painting style. By the 1890s, however, the Impressionists' style had gained much more acceptance in the art world.
In the early 1900s, Impressionism became well-known in the United States and many American painters were painting in this style. Some famous American Impressionists are Mary Cassatt, Childe Hassam, William Merritt Chase, and Frank Benson. American painters interpreted Impressionism in their own way and, although their individual styles varied, they tended to paint in a style that was more realistic than the French Impressionists.
Nancy adds, "The Impressionist movement had a huge impact on the art world. There are still a large number of artists who are painting in the Impressionist style today and there is currently a heightened interest in Impressionism in America. At Peconic Bay Originals, we are pleased to be associated with some amazing artists who incorporate elements of Impressionism in their work. They are Helgy White, Michele Usibelli, Judy Nakari, and Julia McKee."
Learn more about Helgy White
Learn more about Michele Usibelli
Learn more about Judy Nakari
Learn more about Julia McKee |
Fine Art Prints
