Lynn Boggess’ latest body of work consists of small studies the artist says he roughed out as quickly as possible. They’re like workouts, intense training that requires you to work with vigor and energy—no slowing down—only stepping away for complete rest, and then reengaging once ready to jump back in at 100 percent.
19 January 2021, oil on canvas, 20 x 17"
“Before pursuing the speed issue further, it should be emphasized that there is, of course, another step in the process of how the paintings come to look as they do: carefully resolved, finished and ready for exhibition. The beginning rapid plein air session is balanced later back in the studio with much slower paced work, which organizes the flow of space and adds distinguishing details. It is delicate,” says Boggess. The paintings themselves? They’re Boggess’ signature plein air landscapes marked by the laying down of thick applications of paint, titled by the date on which the painting is finished. These works will be on view during a new exhibition at Principle Gallery in Alexandria, Virginia. 
9 January 2021, oil on canvas, 22 x 19"
“Lynn Boggess uses more paint on one painting than most artists use on 10,” says Principle Gallery director Clint Mansell. “His unexpected, creative paint application technique with cement trowels and palette knives makes his work stand out. He masterfully lays down the impression of the scene in thick stokes with great accuracy and conveys the essence of his experience in plein air.”
9 May 2020, oil on canvas, 20 x 17"
12 October 2020, oil on canvas, 40 x 35"
Boggess says, “The essence of plein air painting is in focusing on the experience of being ‘in the moment,’ which brings me to how I title my ‘experiences.’ I paint prolifically, so it is practical to use the date on which the painting is finished and signed as a title. Sometimes that is the same day it’s begun, but it can be as long as a week or more on larger scale works. Dates as titles also serve a philosophical purpose. They reinforce the essential idea, which brings a painting into existence in the first place: Although it is a finished painting, it began as a documentation of a particular place, at a specific time, transcribed by a focused eye and a trained hand of an artist absorbed in the moment.”
The exhibition will be on view from April 16 to May 10. —
Principle Gallery
208 King Street • Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 739-9326 • www.principlegallery.com
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