The Daily Practice of Painting

Susan Keefe’s 30 paintings on display at the PSA.

For their current exhibit, the Peninsula School of Art in Fish Creek challenged seven artists – purposefully chosen to showcase a variety of styles and painting techniques – to create a painting a day for 30 days. In the Guenzel Gallery, artists Marla Baggetta, Fred Bell, Bonnita Budysz, Shelby Keefe, Susan Murtaugh, Jason Prigge, and Kristi Roenning each have a wall, or two, depending on the size of their canvases, displaying their 30 paintings – from day one to day 30.

The inspiration for this exhibit stems from the Painting a Day movement, made popular by Duane Keiser in 2004, who was attempting to promote his small-scale oil paintings.

“The art school is all about education,” says Director of Marketing and Exhibitions Kay McKinley-Arneson. “We focused on what goes on with an artist who wants to master their technique.”

The seven artists were provided “a lot of leeway,” according to McKinley-Arneson, in terms of when they would begin their 30 days and what those 30 days would focus on.

Fred Bell’s day 10 painting.

“We have abstract, mixed media to plein air work to iPad paintings,” says McKinley-Arneson, who also notes that none of the paintings are framed, therefore more buyer friendly.

As for the artists, each took away their own lessons from the experience, some even changing the focus of their art.

“Shelby [Keefe] began as a plein air painter,” explains McKinley-Arneson. “It was her intent to place a figure in her landscapes, which takes time with the proportions and gestures. Her focused has now changed from landscape to figure.”

Bell, on the other hand, shifted his painting technique. His subject, himself, remained the same for the series, but he added thicker applications of oil paint as the days went by. “For him it was more about application then subject,” says McKinley-Arneson.

Marla Baggetta’s day 10 painting.

Baggetta’s experience affected her more emotionally than artistically. “She asked friends and families to give her an object that meant a lot,” explained McKinley-Arneson. “The only stipulation was that it fit in the palm of their hand. She learned how little she needs in terms of material things.”

Murtaugh adds an unconventional element to the exhibit, displaying a series of digital paintings created on her iPad using Sketchbook Pro. “It’s all about the technology,” says McKinley-Arneson, “but she is using traditional skills.”

Roenning – and perhaps all the participating artists – “discovered how important the process itself was,” says McKinley-Arneson, “the daily practice of painting.”

Peninsula School of Art, open Monday through Saturday from 9 am – 5 pm, is located at 3900 County Road F in Fish Creek. For more information call 920.868.3455, visit http://www.peninsulaschoolofart.com, or email [email protected].