JOHN MAC KAH - Rapid River Magazine

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2 May 2011 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 14, No. 9
R A P I D R I V E R A R T S fine art INTERVIEW WITH John Mac Kah INTERVIEWED BY DENNIS RAY Rapid River Magazine: What led you to landscape painting and more importantly perhaps, what led you to capture landscapes through en plein air? (En plein air is a French expression that means literally “in the open air” and is particularly used to describe the act of painting outdoors)? John Mac Kah: When you come to my studio, you’ll find a lot of different subjects – from landscape to wild life, from portrait to fantasy and prehistoric life. But, landscape is my primary interest and is most rewarding. Plein-air is misunderstood. People think it means to paint quickly. Only outside can you find the truth in color and atmosphere. RRM: How would you describe your process? JMK: Depending on the complexity of the scene I like to get in two or three visits to a site. Sometimes I return as many as six times, working in the field. This is indirect painting (in layers) as opposed to direct painting (a la prima). This method yields more depth and texture and detail which I love. RRM: What kind of equipment do you use outside? JMK: The equipment varies between the traditional French ‘box” easel and an Italian style folding field easel. It depends on the Valley Cedars terrain and the weather. I sometimes take an umbrella to cut the glare and give me some shade. And stakes to tie down the rig if it becomes windy. Nothing worse than a canvas to pick up a wind like a sail, then land in the sand. RRM: What is your primary goal in painting a particular location? JMK: Each location is unique like a person, so I try to get a meaningful portrait of the site, and its peculiar mood, detail and energy. Cold Mountain (in Haywood County) has always had a strong energy that I felt when painting. I’ve painted it about seven times from various locations. RRM: What advice do you give your students to help them become better landscape painters? JMK: I try to emphasize the importance of on location studies on gessoed paper, instead Highland View by John Mac Kah Valley Cedars by John Mac Kah John Mac Kah working en plein air of the ‘make a masterpiece-the-first-timenotion’. John Singer Sargent said, “…paint 100 heads.” The same can be said for landscape…or anything else. RRM: What is your approach to using on-site sketches to develop larger studio pieces? JMK: Again, small intimate studies to create a bank of information and true feeling for the area or time of day, which can easily be lost in a larger version. RRM: Of all the plein air paintings you’ve done, which is your favorite and why? JMK: Favorite painting? A vacant lot across from my house full of chicory in bloom with Queen Anne’s lace. It had truth in it. RRM: What is your philosophy on the artist’s connection to nature? JMK: All truth and beauty comes from Nature. Period. My favorite quote is from Li Po, “Cherish the land no one owns…” RRM: What is the most unusual thing that has ever happened to you while you were outside painting? JMK: Many things come to mind. Two, though stand out. We were painting in central Florida on Hontoon, an old shell midden, and came across a beautiful coral snake when preparing a camp site. And when at Huntington Island, SC a river otter confidently trotted through the area where I was painting on the beach near the light house, ignoring me completely. RRM: Your style carries very well throughout all of your work. How do you balance plein air painting with your studio work? Continued on page 6 Vol. 14, No. 9 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — May 2011 3
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JOHN MAC KAH - Rapid River Magazine

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