http://www.outdoorpainter.com / August-September 2019 49
a bigcanvasmustbeaccommodated.“Witha nine-footer,you
havetoslowdownandstayput,”hesays.“Thehardestpartis
gettingit outofthetruckandgettingit setup.It’stakenme
fourpaintingsessionstocompleteeachofthe9-footersI’ve
donesofar.”
JensenfoundthatthedocksnearhishomeinBlueLake,
California,werea goodspotforpaintinga bigpiece.Fishing
andtheoceanfeatureprominentlyinthearea’shistoryand
makeup,sopaintingsofshipsaremorethanappropriate.
Jensendescribeshisfirstlarge-paintingsetup:“I found
a placewhereI couldsetupa workstation—a perfectarea
witholderboatsandlessfoottraffic.I setthepaintingonthe
ground,leanedupagainstmyeasel,onthedocks.(Certaindays
aretoowindy,butgenerallya 9-footcanvasis soheavythatif
yousitit right,it willstay.)ThenI thinneddownsomepaint
andjuststarted—it wassofreeing.I wasn’tthinkingabout
sellingthepainting,justmakinga goodone.I wantedtobreak
through.I wantedspace.Thefirsttimeresultedina 2 and1/2-
hoursessionofpaintingfuriously.I wentanddidit again...
andagain.It’sbeenreallyinterestingtoseehowworkingbigger
hashelpedmewithdesignandbrushwork.
“Transportationalsobecomesanissuewiththesebigones,”
hecontinues.“I hadto leavethemdownonthedockfora month.
Luckily,I hadmadefriendswithpeopledownthere...BigDave
wasmycheerleader.HisGermanshepherdguardedmypaintings.”
Intermsof content,Jensen’spaintingsseemtofocuson
colortemperatureandtheatmosphereof a scene—especially
scenesthatfeaturewarmlight.“Mysubjectmatterchangesoften,
whichI hopedoesn’thurtme,”Jensensays.“AndI hopemylight
is dramaticinsomewayandtellsa storyinitself.I haven’tmas-
teredthatyet,andit keepsmesohungry.I lovethosespecialareas
inshadow,withcoollightandwarmbouncelight—gettingthat
ina paintingreallyexcitesme.A mundanesubjectpresentedin
a paintingshowseveryonewhattheymighthavemissed.I hope
thatpeoplecanhearthebirdsinmypainting.I hopetheycan
smelltheflowers.”
Jensensays,“I liketotakechanceswithmywork,andthat
meansI’mhappywithoneoutof 20 ofmypaintings.ButI
don’twanttositand get everything perfect. That’s not me —
not yet, at least.”Ryan Jensenpaintsonthedocksnearhis
homeinNorthernCalifornia.
ryanjensenartwork.com