Changing Direction

By Mary Lou Griffin, Diamond State Branch

Plein air paintings by Mary Lou Griffin. “Path to the Meadow” (pen and ink, 14x11)

Mary Lou Griffin, “Beyond the Garden Gate” (charcoal, 11x14)
Plein air paintings by Mary Lou Griffin. Top, “Path to the Meadow” (pen and ink, 14×11). Above, “Beyond the Garden Gate” (charcoal, 11×14).

For several summers, I have spent much of my plein air painting time at Mt. Cuba in Hockessin, Delaware. High on a hill, the property is massive, with so many beautiful areas where you are engulfed by nature. You can take reference photos but it’s not the same as painting on location.

I usually work in pastel. I love the immediacy of the color, no mixing required. However, transporting the necessary tools to a remote plein air location can be a challenge. It takes a lot of planning and carting of equipment. I am not always up for that. I decided I would leave the pastels in the studio, and would go and work with limited tools: pens, markers, perhaps some charcoal, and a drawing tablet. Who knows what would come of it.

“Beyond the Garden Gate” was the first piece at Mt. Cuba done in charcoal. The medium allowed me to capture the drama of the shadows with value alone and very little line. Charcoal is forgiving. You can erase some and wipe out areas and rework. Pen and ink is not as forgiving and therefore requires some planning. If you make a “mistake,” you need to find a way to camouflage it or start over.

When I found a spot around the stream that fed the pond, I experimented with different lines, thin and thick, and different pens. I learned what to capture and what to leave out and found it was best to keep the lines varied and loose. My squiggles and markings would guide the viewer around the drawing and tell a story of the area.

I found a different marker and used it for the water. That drawing was complete. The metallic silver worked to pull the drawing together. It was an unexpected discovery that I used in other drawings. I later added hints of color to some of the flowers when I felt the piece needed it.

I moved to another spot and “Path to the Meadow” followed. I felt that I had captured the essence of the pond without drawing every leaf and twig. I became more confident in my mark-making ability, and I was having fun.

This was the beginning of a series. A new creative spark was ignited. For certain, I will be taking my pens, charcoal, and tablet with me on other plein air excursions this fall, and I learned that it’s good at times to step out of your comfort zone and change direction in your art.