Mary Jane Ward

The work I make en plein air, immersed in a landscape could not be made in any other way. Working en plein air changes my relationship to a place. The plein air process provides a way of learning deeply and intimately about a place, through careful observations, curiosity, immersion, and a meditative pace. I also love the challenges that come along with plein air painting, the necessary ingenuity of figuring out a set-up that works well, the reality of my own limitations in heat or distance or patience, the need to adjust at times if a storm arrives or some other unpredictable thing changes my plans. This willingness to adjust and pay attention to my surroundings keeps me open to the present moment, and challenges me to find the balance between my hopes for the art-making process with the reality of what presents itself in the moment.