“Union Street Bridge, Fall Afternoon,” oil on panel, 12″x12″

“Purple and Blue Awnings on Smith Street, ” oil on canvas, 12″x16″

“Yellow Truck in Gowanus,” oil on canvas, 9″x12″
Artist Statement

I am mostly a self-taught artist, working primarily “en plein air” when the weather permits.  I also occasionally work from sketches and photos, but only of places where I’ve actually been.  Painting on-site, from life, comes with its challenges (wind, heat, cold, overly chatty passers-by, bugs flying into wet paint on the canvas), thrills (light hitting a brick wall a special way, gorgeous water reflections), and joys (connecting with a location’s unique features and being able to capture that moment).  But mostly it requires an intense focus.  When it’s all working well, painting can be a form of highly active meditation.

My goal is to find a simple way to capture the spirit of a scene at a particular instance.  Inevitably the paintings become infused with my own wonder and delight at having discovered something – a pattern, a gesture, an angle of light – that is inherently pleasing.  At best my paintings pay tribute to the abundant benefits of attentiveness.

Artist Website

http://ellayangstudio.com/