St. Paul, Minnesota, painter Brian Stewart learned the classic fundamentals of painting at The Art Center in Los Angeles and later at Atelier LeSueur in Minneapolis.
His web-pages of plein-air paintings include stories about the places shown. Here are some examples:
"I painted this in southern Arizona near the town of Arivaca close to the Mexican border. It’s typical of the dilapidated shacks surrounded by mesquite that you find in that part of the country. I was attracted to the color and character of the place and felt it would not be there much longer."
"The Civilian Conservation Corps was an offshoot of FDR’s WPA Program and New Deal. It employed young men who did rural construction projects that ranged from building bridges, roads, cabins, etc. that were part of our parks and wilderness areas. The structures were of indigenous materials and were always beautifully designed with an Arts & Crafts feel. They are just today being appreciated as an art form and social program. I’ve painted many of them and plan to do more."
"These pens were in the inner city Minneapolis/St. Paul at the University of Minnesota’s experimental, agricultural fields. In the background is the State Fair Grounds. We’re fortunate to have this kind of inner city scenery. This kind of stuff I’d normally drive by unless I was looking for something to paint. The way the early morning light was hitting the chicken coops made it irresistible."
"I painted this at the Grand Portage National Monument in Minnesota near the Canadian border. The park has rangers who are living history re-enactors that give you a feeling for life in the 18th and 19th Century by doing presentations and demonstrations. This one was smoking lake trout near an Ojibwe hut. I got to taste the trout later."
No wonder he calls himself "a visual raconteur."
The Atelier in Minneapolis is one of the places where Brian Stewart offers instruction.
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