Plein Air painting with Ken Christensen

Exciting news! Now, you too, can paint like a Fauve! Ken Christensen has created a series of classes with full instruction on how to paint an oil, Fauvist work on site! Ken takes you to his studio for pre-painting information and then takes you on site as he explains every step of the process through two complete paintings. These are fascinating classes peppered with many of Ken’s amusing stories of his painting career. Be sure to check it out. The first lesson is a free preview! Click here to be redirected to the class.

Two Fauves visit Fauve exhibit

While in France, Ken Christensen had the pleasure of reuniting with fellow New Fauve, Pierre Mori. They enjoyed several visits and marvelous lunches together to get caught up and discuss art. Coincidentally there was a major retrospective of Henry Manguin, one of the greatest of the original Fauves at the Impressionist Museum in Giverny (also the site of Monet's home and garden). They visited the exhibit accompanied by Pierre's wife, René and Ken's daughter, Laura. The exhibit was very large, filling the museum and showing around one hundred paintings, including drawings and watercolors. There were most of the famous large pieces as well as many rarely seen. The exhibit was stunning and a fresh inspiration to these two New Fauves.

Four Fauves in California

Two of the New Fauves, Kathleen Elsey and Ken Christensen, recently exhibited with two other fauve painters, Paul Brown and Sarah Carr, in an exhibit in Santa Barbara at the Corridan Gallery. The gallery exploded in color from the bright collection of works. Elsey and Christensen were in fine fettle and Paul Brown's large pieces bordered on abstraction. The pastels of Carr were more traditional and yet rich in color. The exhibit was well received by the local art aficionados in Santa Barbara. Christensen continues to exhibit as a permanent part of the Corridan Gallery.

Double Winner for Kathleen Elsey

Kathleen Elsey's painting, "Rio Grande Morning with Pinons" has won Award of Excellence in the Plein Air Painters of New Mexico annual juried exhibition in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The same painting also won "People's Choice" award!

This painting was made plein air south of Taos, New Mexico and past Pilar, into the national park, high above the Rio. "I hiked in about a mile and a half from the dirt road where I left my car. It was a beautiful morning. Not too hot. I managed to map out the painting pretty fast, then painted with no interruptions rather fast because I knew that the wind was going to pick up about noon." Details about this painting and more at www.elsey.com.