Painting on location in Bermuda

By Chris Marson

Article published in Preview Bermuda April 2006

Bermuda is ideally suited to painting in the open air, the climate is mild and painter friendly all year round. The foliage is always lush with white roofs and pastel colored houses to provide contrast and complements wherever you look. Palm trees, pink beaches, turquoise waters, small bays and harbors full of picturesque boats and bright orange buoys add to the visual excitement. All of this is available no matter where you are located for in Bermuda it is impossible to be more than five minutes from the sea. No wonder we have had such a long history of painters both local and international wandering around painting everything in sight

Interaction with people is a major part of the painting experience here in Bermuda since Bermudians and tourists alike seem fascinated by the appearance of an artist in their midst.

I have found that most passersby will ask if they may see what you are doing and then make polite and usually positive comments no matter what is on your easel.

Being on show can be daunting at first but eventually it becomes part of the adventure and in twenty years of painting outside my only negative experience came from a duck and his spouse who started pecking at the pallette beside me, as I sat cross-legged on the ground. They seem to favor the reds.

I now stand at a more substantial easel with my pallete at duck proof height, this makes working a little more comfortable and hopefully impresses people with my professionalism. Indeed one of the characters hanging out a Spanish Point Park informed me that he knew I was a real artist because of all the equipment I was carrying around with me.

Painting outdoors has become the most natural way of painting for me and I find that if I do have to work in the studio I greatly miss the lights and atmosphere that influence my work so much, I even miss the adventures. In the studio you never have to wait for the tide and waves to bring back a painting that has blown of your easel.

In the past few years we have seen the establishment and growth of the Plein Air Painters of Bermuda. A painting group formed to allow artists to experience the trials and joys of painting outdoors. We meet on a bi-weekly basis usually on a Sunday morning, members are notified of the location by e-mail. We have painted on the beaches in St. George's, the streets of Hamilton, the grounds of Government House and private property is all over the island.

Members of the group work in all media and their skill levels range from beginner to professional, we welcome everyone. All that is required is enthusiasm and some equipment. We end every session by showing all the work done on that morning and having a soft critique led by the professional artists within the group the purpose of which is to help people improve and grow.