http://www.outdoorpainter.com / August-September 2019 41
spectrumcomparedtofellowpleinairpainters
intheUnitedStates,butheavoids“looking
sideways”tostaytruetohisvision.“I tryto
learnlessonsfrommycolleagues,bothtechni-
calandphilosophical,”hesays,“butI’mgetting
a lotbetterat understandinghowtoremain
focusedandconfidentinwhatI’mtryingtosee,
capture,andexpressinthefreneticheatof a
pleinairevent.”(Hewaspleasantlysurprisedto
wina two-hourquick-painteventinAnnapolis,
Maryland,justbeforeourinterview.)
“I verymuchconsidermyworkwith
toolsandbuildingstobeaboutwhoweare,”
Kennedysays.“Thescarsonthehandleofa
hammeraresucha directreflectionofthework
thatitsownerhasdone,thecarewithwhich
it waskept,thehurryinwhichit wasstored,
thetimesthatit wasmisused.Therearestories
behinda scratchedinitial,a splashofpaint,a
darkening of the wood, a fraying of the grain.
Thereis a quietdignityanda distinctperson-
alityinhumbletools,barns,doorposts,and
windowframes,thatI hopetocaptureasa
testamenttothelivesof the men and women
whoownedthem.”STEFANIELAUFERSWEILER is a writer
based in Cincinnati, Ohio.KennedybasedthepaintingonpleinairworkhemadeatthisWisconsinbayovertheyears.“Thestudioversionallowedmethetimeandspacetousethickerpaint
ona largersurface(thistimeonpaper,notpanel),”saysKennedy, “and to rearrange the foreground elements to create an industrial, dockside element that evokes
the location but does not represent the actual quay.”Earl’sDairyBarn
2017, mixed water-basedmedia,5 x 7 in.
Privatecollection
Pleinair
“Earlwasatfirstveryreluctanttoletmeontohis
landtopainthisfarm.Infact,atonepointhe
changedhismindandtoldmetostopandleave,”
Kennedysaysofthisstructure’sowner,whoeventu-
allyrevealedthathiswifehadrecentlydied.The
widowerbecamemorecomfortablewiththeartist
asthedayworeonandKennedylistenedtohislife
storyashepainted.Kennedysurprisedhimlater
witha printofthepiece.“IfeellikeEarlandI really
made a connection that changed us a little,” he says.GreenTugsatSturgeonBay
2016,mixedwater-based media, 10 x 25 in.
Collectiontheartist
Studio based on plein air studies