The Maier Museum of Art
at Randolph College

Interviews with the Artists | Recent Acquisitions: “Plein Air at Randolph”

Below are interviews conducted by the Maier’s 2017 summer intern, Maddie Shelby ’18, with two of the artists whose works were recently acquired by the Maier Museum of Art at Randolph College from the Lynchburg Art Club’s 2nd Annual Paint Out Lynchburg, held April 28-29, 2017.  All four works acquired were created during the Paint Out’s “Quick Draw” event, which took place on the Randolph College campus and along nearby Rivermont Avenue.

Read our fall 2017 newsletter for a detailed article about the event and acquisitions.

Joli Ayn Wood

Joli Ayn Wood, For Mother, Randolph College, 2017, oil on panel. Collection of the Maier Museum of Art at Randolph College.

What made you choose to depict the area of campus in your painting?

I took time the day before to walk the campus in the morning time to see what inspired me.  Doing this enabled me to see the lighting conditions which would be present for the Quick Draw Competition the following day.  I was looking for a composition which would give strong values/contrast, as well as a place that seemed to be important to the college.  The pavilion in the morning sun, coupled with nice atmosphere in the background, kept pulling me back. It also had a bit of romance.

What was the greatest challenge presented to you during the event?

Painting en plein air about 85% of the time, I have learned to capture elements quickly, and paint quickly. I also have a tendency to get ahead of myself – my process – if I am a little too passionate about the subject matter.  So I had to consciously slow myself down when painting the pavilion scene, to look for the little things that folks might not notice when walking that path. The judge asked me at the awards presentation why I painted the sidewalk so crooked, and I replied with a smile, “Because it is.” I was happy he had noticed and asked.

Do you prefer plein air style over an in-studio painting experience? Why/Why not?

I prefer plein air mainly because you are capturing a moment in time, experiencing a place that will never look that way again. That is why I always notate the back with the date and time I finished it, the location, and something special about the day. I love being outside in nature. I also enjoy when I can bring back a painting and it is “done.” That doesn’t happen every time, but when it does, it is highly satisfying. I find that plein air forces me to capture the big elements and colors quickly, which helps to loosen my technique in the studio.  Studio work demands more attention to detail, and I can take my time with drawing, which helps my composition when I go out of doors to paint.

What connections, if any, do you have to Randolph/R-MWC?

I’d never visited the campus before, but I was very excited to as I’d been familiar with the Maier collection since college. I found the grounds to be very unique, and the mountain vistas were very lovely.

Why did you title your Quick Draw painting “For Mother – Randolph College?”

My mother and father passed away several years ago.  They both followed me to every show, every event – they thoroughly believed that I would one day make a living as an artist. That morning I felt Mother with me, and suddenly a very difficult painting seemed easier. I just had to slow down. I knew when I finished that I’d painted the best painting I’d ever painted. And I was humbled to discover others felt the same. So I dedicated the painting to Mother.

Deliece Blanchard

Deliece G. Blanchard, Main Hall – Randolph, 2017, oil on canvas. Collection of the Maier Museum of Art at Randolph College.

What made you choose to depict the area of campus in your painting? 

I love the design of Main Hall.  Randolph has the most beautiful architecture, and Main Hall is really the focal point from Rivermont Avenue.  Light reflects off the flanking domes, the windows, and the central tower in the morning, so I can use more interesting shades of color to describe the form.

What was the greatest challenge presented to you during the event?

The timed nature of this event is nerve-wracking and painting in public can be distracting.  I was lucky because I painted on the grassy side of the wall and only one person came over to talk while I was painting.  Making quick decisions and editing on the spot is actually good practice for plein-air painting.  You can’t paint at a leisurely pace when the light is changing.

Do you prefer plein air style over an in-studio painting experience? Why/Why not?

I love being outdoors. It will always be my preferred way to paint.  With an undergraduate degree in Biology, my first plan was to be a field naturalist.  I spent my childhood building treehouses, pressing flowers, and collecting stream creatures for a fishtank. There can be obstacles when painting outdoors, though. I painted for six weeks in Yellowstone National Park this summer, and struggled with wind, cold, and crowds of tourists, but the worst was being harassed by biting insects.  I was totally ready to retreat to a studio at that point.  In the studio, I enjoy creating larger works based on my plein-air paintings – like Maine artist, Neil Welliver.   Nature provides endless inspiration, fascinating subject matter, and a mental freedom I really value, when I’m working “en plein air.”

What connections, if any, do you have to Randolph/R-MWC?

I have three important connections with RC!

I am a docent at the Maier Museum and I love it!  It’s a privilege to spend time with the collection and to share my enthusiasm with visitors.

I also studied advanced painting with Dr. Jim Muehlemann, which was a formative experience for me as an adult student.  Jim is a wealth of knowledge, and not just academic, but with first hand experience as an American Abstract Expressionist living among the “who’s whos” of art in New York City.  He encouraged me to work hard and experiment more!

I’m also grateful to Emily Smith and Dr. Doug Shedd for allowing me to paint the specimens of the Natural History Collection.  I’ve worked with the articulated skeletons and also painted frequently in the botanical garden.  My painting of a heron skeleton will be in the Central Virginia Watercolor Guild exhibition at the McGuffey Center in Charlottesville for the month of September.