Capturing the Heart of the Moment...Guest Artist Carlene Dingman Atwater

By Bella Erakko

Artists drawn to a “plein air” outdoor style of art have a fascination with the subtleties of landscape, atmosphere, and object. Carlene Dingman Atwater admittedly loves painting in plein air and during this time of corona virus, she has found solace in her out-of-door creativity. “The atmosphere on a cloudy day, the different shades of green—a blue green that recedes into the background, the yellow green of new spring leaves, the rusty green of evergreens—all fascinate me.”

She works in watercolor (which she admits can freeze) or oil, using the best choice for the object she intends to paint. “To be outside …,” she exclaims, “we have FOUR seasons here.” But whatever the season, plein air is driven by changing light which affects color. It requires an observation of the almost invisible, resulting in an impression—a soft nuanced portrait of a moment.

But sometimes her creativity takes a sharp right turn, as when she found herself enthralled by fellow artist Rose Frantzen who decided to do a portrait of anyone who walked into her studio during one year, resulting in 200 works of art. Carlene felt drawn to this concept but with her own rules: one portrait a week of a community volunteer. She approached non-profits, and they chose their hardest working “super” volunteers. Carlene quickly found that a two-hour “sit” for such hardworking folks invited sleep, so she shortened the sit to one hour, took photos, and engaged them in conversation. Her “52 Faces of Volunteerism” along with a self-portrait were displayed at the Fort Madison Art Center in Iowa.

Whether portrait or landscape, Carlene looks for and captures, the heart of the moment—often hidden in plain view. She knits together image and atmosphere in a way that invites the viewer to go with her—into her four seasons.

An Open House will be held on Saturday, April 10 from 1 until 6:00. Carlene's work will be on exhibit until the end of the month.

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