Mitch Baird is a passionate representational painter. He believes that painting is a celebration of life and the beauty that surrounds us. He is devoted to the traditions of the late 19th century artists who looked to the figure and nature for inspiration regarding light, color, and design. Seeking out this inspiration, Mitch works directly from life to capture the qualities and nuances of natural light and color harmony. He has a strong conviction that great artistic communication depends on good draftsmanship, design, and vision. His artistic desire is to portray a positive visual statement and hope the viewer will experience what he sees and in some sense be inspired, uplifted, or moved by his paintings, whether it is of a small intimate setting or a grandiose subject.

In this lively conversation, Mitch talks about overcoming the resistance of our symbol-filled brains to learn to paint what we actually see. He covers the value of painting from life: whether we are outdoors painting the landscape or indoors painting a figure. He candidly shares his view of plein air events. To him, plein air painting is not a sport. Rather it is a mission to gather information and learn light. As a family man, he talks frankly about the challenges of balancing parenting, being a good husband, and painting. It’s not always easy, but it’s always rewarding. As we examine Mitch Baird’s career as a painter, it’s clear that his commitment to the craft of painting encapsulates both patience and perseverance.

Links:

Mitch Baird Website: https://www.mitchbaird.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mitchbairdart/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mitch.baird.5

Mentions:

Plein Air Painters of America (PAPA) https://www.p-a-p-a.com/

Books

Exhibitionism: Art in an Era of Intolerance (author Lynne Munson) https://amzn.to/3sxaKb0 (paid link)

Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter (author James Gurney) https://amzn.to/2MrYr01 (paid link)

The Eye of the Painter and the Elements of Beauty (author Andrew Loomis) Note: this book is extremely rare. https://amzn.to/3aWjBwH  (paid link)

About the Artful Painter:

Website: https://carlolson.tv/artful-painter YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarlOlsonArt

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