Landscape Painting And Its Emotional
Connections
By Jeni Dalen
The question
"What is a landscape?" evokes various answers from five
landscape painters. The follow-up "Is there any necessary
component?" reveals some common ground. All five find a
connection between landscape and emotion and they all favor those
places away from humanity's crush.
"I think of a
landscape as being an emotional snapshot of a place," says
Stephen Henning of Minnesota. "It might be a huge overall
setting, or a more intimate focus on details." Whether by way of
an expansive horizon or a close stand of trees, Henning's underlying
wish is to engage the viewer.
"I crave open
spaces," he continues, "and want to convey the relationships
of objects that give a painting depth. I like it when people
experience the place, stand in the painting with me, relate to the
foreground and yet feel their eyes drawn off into the distance. When I
capture the atmosphere, the viewer is more likely to want to connect
with the painting."
Henning aims at
specific artistic goals. "First," he explains, "I try
to make every square inch of canvas have something interesting
happening in it. Consequently, you don't see large expanses of one
flat color, even within a big blue sky." Subtle, constant color
transitions and visible brushstrokes across the entire surface achieve
his impressionistic approach.
"Second," he
continues, "my technique with acrylic makes the finished work
look so much like an oil, people assume that's what it is. I love it
when they ask!"
Henning's third
objective involves his color and printing choices. "I love to
paint," he reflects, "and to produce appealing art. I
consciously develop artwork for the marketplace. I listen to color
preferences, keep an eye on framing products. And I incorporate color
palettes that stay true to nature while lending themselves to interior
decor considerations."
Limited edition
giclees offer a better printing process, truer color reproduction,
and," his voice fills with glee, "I can go bigger! I want to
offer higher impact pieces - closer to original size and colors - and
giclees do that." Henning rejoices that today's print buyer is
more likely to frame and enjoy a print than stuff his purchase under a
bed and hope for a monetary return someday.