Ben M. Young of Poway, California
LPAPA’s July 2020 featured Signature Artist Member of the Month

Click to visit Ben’s website to view more of his artwork: BenMYoung.com
Click to read: LPAPA Plein Talk Q&As with Ben M. Young

Ben Young was born and raised in southern California. He started drawing when he was two years old and has always known he wanted to pursue a career in art. At nineteen he found Watts Atelier of the Arts, which taught him the fundamentals of drawing and painting. After three years as a student Ben was asked to teach there. His original goal was to be an Illustrator but soon learned that fine art was a better fit for him.

Ben paints a variety of subjects from landscapes and animals to the figure. Ben is influenced by the figurative artists of nineteenth century Europe and Russia and illustrators from the “Golden Age of American Illustration” like Howard Pyle, Dean Cornwell and Norman Rockwell.

 Click here for LPAPA’s Library of Archived Plein Talks

 John White of Long Beach, California
LPAPA’s July 2020 Artist Member of the Month

Click to see more of John’s artwork at JohnWhiteStudios.com
Click to read: LPAPA Plein Talk Q&As with John White

Born and raised in Southern California, John took classes in drawing and painting throughout his childhood and then moved on to study at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena majoring in graphic design. 

After college, John went to work for a number of design and advertising firms in the Los Angeles area before opening his own creative agency in 1989. His company grew from a one man firm to a 30 person agency in the 17 years he had his business, winning numerous awards for his work as well as inclusion in the Permanent Collection of the Library of Congress. John closed his business in 2005 to start a new chapter of his life heading up and teaching the advertising program at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles.

Today, fully retired, John is enjoying painting, both studio and plein-air full time at this studio in Long Beach, CA.

Click here to visit John’s website to learn more about the artist.

Click here for LPAPA’s Library of Archived Plein Talks

Marc Dalessio of Estremoz, Portugal
LPAPA’s June 2020 featured Signature Artist Member of the Month

Click to visit Marc’s website to view more of his artwork: MarcDalessio.com
Click to read: LPAPA Plein Talk Q&As with Marc Dalessio

Marc shares: “During my time in Florence I was also introduced to the writings of the Renaissance Neoplatonists. ‘The Oration on the Dignity of Man” by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, especially, had a profound influence on me as a young artist.

This short treatise describes God’s creation of man so that “there be some creature to comprehend the significance of so vast an achievement, love its infinite beauty, and stand in awe at its grandeur”. While the literal view on this is that God created man to marvel at God’s work, my art is based on a more secular reading of the text: The artist is nature revering itself. As such, the painter should attempt to avoid developing any personal style in their work. My painting is attempt at letting nature depict itself without overt interference of personality or ego.

While aware of the impossibility of such an endeavor, I’ve always felt that an important duty of the poet today is to direct a return to humility towards, reflection on, and study of, the natural world. This return to finding inspiration in the world around us, as well as building a foundation for art based on the observation of nature, are important first steps towards building an environmentally sustainable future for humanity.”

 Click here for LPAPA’s Library of Archived Plein Talks

 Terry Miura of Fair Oaks, California
LPAPA’s June 2020 Artist Member of the Month

Click to see more of Terry’s artwork at TerryMiura.com
Click to read: LPAPA Plein Talk Q&As with Terry Miura

Miura’s evocative tonalist landscapes explore the relationship between memory, emotions, and identity. “Although they’re still very much representational,” says Miura, “they’re not about specific locations. Well, actually they are, but the locations are found in my and the viewer’s memories. Not out there in the physical world. “​

With atmosphere, mood, and abstraction as driving characteristics of his work, Miura has, more recently been revisiting the complexities of the cityscape as a major part of his repertoire. 

Emotion and abstraction carries over to his figurative works. It is in this genre that Miura finds most personal expression; “In painting the figure, I allow myself to get lost in the process and take more risks. Only by deconstructing the representational and the objective, am I able to tap into the more subconscious, intuitive voice which for me, is at once mysterious and authentic.”

Click here to visit Terry’s website to learn more about the artist.

Click here for LPAPA’s Library of Archived Plein Talks

LPAPA Plein Talks: The Art of Conversation

Plan to join us Saturday June 13th at 11:00am PDT for a Virtual Plein Talk with LPAPA Signature Artist Chuck Kovacic. Chuck will take us on a virtual tour of his garden, art collection, library, and into his studio, while sharing his thoughts about context and inspiration for his work. Chuck will be coming to you live, sharing images, and answering your questions. 

Chuck is a Signature Artist Member of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA) and the California Art Club, as well as a member of the Oil Painters of America, the American Impressionist Society, and an “Honor Court” member of the Mid Valley Art League.  

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to get up close and personal, going live “virtually” into the mind and studio of Chuck Kovacic.

This is a FREE event for LPAPA Members (members must log in to register for free!). Nonmembers are welcome to join us as our guest for a $10.00 registration fee.

REGISTER NOW