Latest Posts:
Mitchell Albala: Landscape painting, plein air painting, art workshops, author

Video Interview: Mitchell Albala in Conversation with Nicholas Wilton

7
By on Interviews

This past September, I had the privilege of being interviewed by Nicholas Wilton of the Art2Life.com community. Art2Life is an online platform that seeks to educate, empower and inspire artists. My interview was part of their ongoing series of inspirational video interviews. Nicholas is a great interviewer. In the one hour interview we managed to touch on many of my favorite topics.

HIGHLIGHTS

02:40 | Roots of abstraction / “abstract Impressionism”
07:40 | Challenges of painting abstractly
11:25 | “It’s a painting!”
12:05 | Using photo reference / differences between plein air and studio painting
14:50 | The sources of a color strategy
16:00 | Compositional “considerations” / limited focus
20:55 | Color grouping / color cohesion
28:00 | Color studies
31:00 | My process as demonstrated in the “Bagnoregio” subject
39:00 | Luminosity through diminished value contrasts
42:00 | Teaching philosophy and challenges
47:50 | “Lead with kindness”
49:30 | Style and “Paint who you are”
57:55 | Luminosity, glazing, broken color
1:00 | Next steps

art2life
Nicholas Wilton and Art2Life

Nicholas is the founder of Art2Life, an online platform that strives to build, empower, and inspire the creative community. The Art2life Workshops, the Art2life Academy and the Creative Visionary Path online programs provide artistic, business and creative coaching to artists. With over 20 years working with creatives, Nicholas has developed a systematic approach that brings authenticity, spontaneity and joy back into the creative process. He speaks and writes extensively on the subject of creativity, purpose and inspiration.”

See blog post related to the topics discussed in this video:

The Power of Limited Color Groups in Landscape Painting

How Value is Used to Heighten the Effects of Color in Landscape Painting

Landscape Composition: Building Interest through Intervals and Variation

Four Methods of Inducing Abstraction in Landscape Painting

Share.

About Author

Mitchell Albala is a painter, workshop instructor, and author. His semi-abstract and atmospheric landscapes have been exhibited nationally and are represented in corporate and private collections. He is the author of the two best selling books on landscape painting in the nation: "The Landscape Painter's Workbook: Essential Studies in Shape, Composition, and Color” (Rockport Publishers, 2021) and “Landscape Painting: Essential Concepts and Techniques for Plein Air and Studio Practice" (Watson-Guptill, 2009). In addition to leading plein air workshops in Italy, Mitchell also teaches workshops throughout the Pacific Northwest. He has lectured on Impressionism and landscape painting at the Seattle Art Museum and has written for "International Artist" and "Artists & Illustrators" magazines. He also hosts a popular painting blog, which holds a top 20 spot on Feedspot.com's "Top 90 Painting Blogs for Artists."

7 Comments

  1. Jeanean Martin on

    Such an excellent interview. Covered so much material. Enjoyed learning about the way you approach using photos as aids in the composition and color experimenting and not being a slave to the photo. Especially like hearing about the communality of the colors used that they must all come under the same feeling of light. I think that is a very advanced phase in painting. It takes a while to understand that, at least for me. Your work illustrates this concept so beautifully. It’s also interesting that you chose to not use any extreme darks or lights to keep the vibration, I think you said of the colors like the impressionist. I like that idea too. In my own work I shoot for the extremes in value more and might be helpful not to always go there. So you have given me much to think about. Lastly, I Love the idea of “paint who you are” Recently saw a show of Hopper’s hotel paintings at the Virginia Museum of Fine Art and he said the same thing when asked what he was after in his paintings, Hopper responded, “I’m after me.”

  2. Kathleen Wilkins on

    This interview was Awesome. Two wonderful artists just talking about art. JOY!!! Mitch, your work is fascinating and I really love understanding it better. Keep teaching and painting.Your work is inspiring. – Kathleen

  3. Mitchell Albala on

    Thanks, Kathleen, for the kind words. It’s always nice to hear that folks are “hearing” my message. 🙂 Paint on!

  4. Mitchell Albala on

    Thank you, Jeanean. I’m glad you are getting the concept of the “community” of colors. Color grouping has been a passion of mine for a while, and it is taking center stage in all my color classes. BTW, check out my 2020 schedule. My color strategies class is obeing offered twice.

  5. Michael Reibel on

    This is just great Mitch! I have watched it over and over and will continue to do so. My favorite part based on where I am in my artistic journey is that part about “What is your painting or your work about? Using only verbs or adjectives, no nouns.” I would love to hear more about strategies and techniques you use to pull this information out of your mind and inner person. For me, this is the most challenging rung on the ladder and likely the most defining rung for all artists, moving away from literal expression to something more poetic and interpretive, something truly unique to each artist. Thank you for all the information you share, priceless!

  6. Mitchell Albala on

    Thanks, Michael. I’m glad the “use only verbs and adjectives” maxim rang true for you. And for viewing the video so thoroughly. Paint on!

  7. Anthony on

    Congratulations Mitch on being featured in this interview! I love how you incorporate your painting background with your Photoshop editing technique. =)