When it comes to painting plein-aire, most artists either love it or hate it. The term, which simply refers to painting in the natural light of the great outdoors, references a seemingly effortless technique that can be fraught with difficulty for the artist. Unexpected wind gusts can send the easel soaring. Flying insects may use the artist’s wet canvas as a private runway. Then there’s the uncertainty of heat and cold and, often, inclement weather. No wonder so many artists prefer to take quick photos and then head back to the comfort of their studio to produce their masterpiece.

 To landscape artist William Hagerman, however, the plein-aire technique is worth the pitfalls. Rather than using photos, Hagerman prefers, whenever possible, to do small canvas field studies on location. “The human eye is far more accurate than any camera lens. It can see into the shadows and beyond, and it can analyze colors and values much more precisely than a camera,” he says. “In photographs, the shadows often appear too dark or the light areas appear too bright and colors can become distorted. For artists who want to create truly accurate landscapes, there is simply no substitute for plein-aire.”

Hagerman should know. For more than 30 years, he has been painting landscapes in oil that are both accurate and beautiful. His initial path, as a landscape artist, was charted at age ten, when he was given his first set of oil paints by an aunt who realized he had a talent that was out-of-the-ordinary. At age 13, Hagerman studied under the tutelage of professional landscape artist Charlotte Curry, of Kerrville, Texas. He comments, “Charlotte gave me my basic foundation in oil painting, and taught me that I should never settle for mediocrity.” Hagerman has continued to build upon that initial artistic foundation through his own studies and by incorporating advice and techniques from other artists as well. A few notable names include famed Texas landscape artist Dalhart Windberg, Wilson Hurley, and Cowboy Artist of America members Robert Pummill, Gary Carter and Tom Ryan.

Today, Hagerman’s paintings of the West are clear testaments to both his well-honed talent and his love of traditional representational landscape painting. And whether he is painting a field of bright bluebonnets, a stand of golden aspen, or a distant mountain vista—realistic lighting is Hagerman’s key to success.

Beyond collecting visual data, Hagerman’s inspiration comes from his own appreciation of the natural world. On a recent trip to Colorado with his wife, for example, the two happened upon a scene in which all the right lighting conditions were in place. “But it was more than that,” he says. “I heard the sounds of the water and the birds… I smelled the fragrances and felt the breeze. The combination of all these elements sparked my enthusiasm and helped me capture the essence of the scene.”

Still, Hagerman says, there is nothing quite like coming across the right landscape at the perfect moment, and, for him, that moment of perfection is only when the lighting is at its peak—when the sun’s rays, for a passing instant, turn an otherwise ordinary scene into an extraordinary one. “That moment of perfection,” says Hagerman, “is what I’m looking for. I guess you could say, I’m drawn to the light.”

William Hagerman’s art can be seen online at www.hagermanart.com or at the following fine art galleries:

Griffith Fine Art
29 North Main St.
Salado, TX
254-947-3177
www.griffithfineart.com

Folger Gallery
3211 W. Wadley
Midland, TX
432-697-3778
www.folgergallery.com

Hagerman Art
Whistle Stop Art Studio
700-B Andrews Hwy.
Midland, TX 79701
432682-2469
www.hagermanart.com

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