PleinAir Magazine – August 2019

50 August-September 2019 / http://www.outdoorpainter.com

n 2017,SaraLindaPolywonthePleinAir
Awardat PleinAirEastonforIna Blazeof Glory,
a 6 x 8-inchpaintingof a rapidlychanging,
post-stormskyseenfromherdriveway.She
didn’tspenda lotof timeonthepiece,nordid
sheincludemanydetails—becauseshecouldn’t.Her
subjectwasas ephemeralas a wispof smoke.
“I wasn’tthrilledwithwhatI hadpaintedthusfar
at theevent,”Polyrecalls.“AsI wasapproachingmy
drivewayI lookedat theskyandsaid,‘Whoa,thatis
toogood!’SoI pulledacrossthestreetandcompleted
thepaintingina smallamountof time.I didwhat
I tellmystudentsnottodo.I lookedrightintothe
sunas I waspainting,rightintothelight.Becausethe
cloudlayerwassolow,however,it mutedtheintensity
somewhat. Since I knew the positionwasgoingto

TELLING SHORT STORIES

Ina BlazeofGlory

2017,oil,6 x 8 in.

Privatecollection

Plein air

WoodlandsGrace

2018,oil, 12 x 16in.

Privatecollection

Plein air and studio