Jeffrey Swaluk, Plein Air Painter

NEWS: (updated 4-8-2008) Please see Swaluk's new painting demonstration: Painting Demonstration - Boston Cityscape

Swaluk will teach a weekend workshop at redFISH Art Studios & Gallery (East Aurora, NY) on May 17th and 18th, 2008, entitled: Color Lessons from the Impressionists - How to use the vibrant colors of the Impressionists to fill your paintings with light. This workshop will focus on effective color use for acrylic and oil painters. Students will learn a simple, logical process to mix any color seen in nature. Strategies for color use first employed by the Impressionists will be discussed and demonstrated. Following the introduction of each concept, students will gain valuable firsthand experience with each idea through a simple painting exercise. These exercises pave the way for the final section of the course; students will paint a still-life enhanced by the exciting color concepts they have learned. Please read Swaluk’s teaching philosophy and the complete course description. Feel free to email the artist with any questions you may have about the course: jeff@swaluk.com Please call redFISH Art Studios & Gallery to register for the course: 716-655-3125 www.redfishartstudios.com

The Artist's Magazine chose to include Jeffrey Swaluk's painting, Magnolias, (see the painting to the left - this painting has been sold) in the March 2007 issue in an article entitled, "25 Under 40, Young Artists Who Are Making a Splash."

In July of 2007 Swaluk traveled to Cape Cod to paint. The resulting works include four 6" X 8" paintings of people enjoying sunny days at the beach as well as the vibrant 11" X 14" still-life of peaches, bananas and blue hydrangeas seen to the right.

Swaluk was awarded first place in painting at the 2007 Brockport Art Festival.

Welcome to my web site. I am a plein air painter, meaning I do my landscape paintings outside rather than in a studio. I enjoy the challenges and rewards of painting outside. And the challenges are many. I have to decide how I am going to compose my subject on the spot. I have a very limited amount of time before the light changes a lot and everything looks different. Sometimes I have to contend with a boat I'm painting leaving to go fishing. Other times someone parks their SUV right in front of my scene just as I am finishing up. Bugs love painters. So does the wind.

But it's all part of the experience, the experience of being outside in nature or in the middle of a bustling city, the adventure of not knowing what great painting subject lies just around the corner, the surprise of seeing a familiar scene made completely new and different by the light of a different time of day. These things aren't available to be experienced in a studio.

When the whole process works well it's exhilirating; the weather is great, the light is perfect, I don't take it too seriously and a good painting seems to paint itself. When this happens I don't even notice that it is coming out well until I stop. That's why I keep going out there. If you're a painter too, and are looking for some tips and ideas that could help you improve your paintings, I am always adding new thoughts, exercises and ideas on painting. I'm almost always thinking about some aspect of painting and I like sharing the discoveries I make and the things I learn. I also have a section of my paintings for you to peruse. In addition, there is a section listing upcoming shows that I'll be participating in. Future updates of this web site will include a list of workshops I'll be teaching. Thanks very much for visiting and I hope you enjoy your stay!