Featured Artist: Danna Ray

Danna Ray is a plein air painter whom I had the pleasure of meeting in the spring of 2016. She was teaching a guache class through Squam Art Workshops, and I was her student for the day. I love Plein Air painting. Leaving the four walls of the studio and experiencing the elements in person is a beautiful way to capture the movement of natural objects and the passage of time on a landscape. Of course the French Impressionists were famous for their plein air paintings, but it by no means a thing of the past. The tradition is alive and well. 

Danna's work is immediate and filled with the grace and mystery of nature. I so appreciate her use of color and the confidence of her brush strokes. Her work is completely gorgeous. I wish I had her sensitivity for shadow, shape, and form. If you don't already, you must follow her on Instagram. You can find Danna in her natural habitat, walking through the deep woods in the Black Hills of North Carolina, or on her website. Until then, here is a taste of her work. 

Oh, and Danna is also a badass climber. She's basically a super hero.