Doug Madill: Painting Jersey City

“Painting Jersey City” offers a broad selection of new works from artist Doug Madill that focus primarily on the subject matter of day-to-day scenes within the environs of Jersey City, New Jersey. Encompassing street vistas, local landmarks, night scenes, and other recognizable haunts, the subject matter choices of painter Doug Madill are sourced primarily from his explorations of various Jersey City neighborhoods. These local perambulations are carried out on foot and when Madill finds a scene or object of interest in his travels, a painting is then executed on site, usually entirely “en plein air” which is a French term meaning “painted out of doors and from direct observation”.

The environment outside the artist’s studio holds many benefits for the creative artisan looking for inspiration, including the ability to observe first hand the changing qualities of sunlight and how these qualities influence a visual reading of form in space. From the diffused glow of an overcast day to the allure and mystery of evening light, these same gifts can become challenges to the artist who must work quickly to capture them whilst also avoiding impediments to their task including inclement weather and gusting winds. Animals, street traffic and passersby can also add to the list of potential complications to the artist who is making work in a prototypically urban, outdoor environment. All of these gains, difficulties, and more have been experienced by accomplished local plein air painter Doug Madill.

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