Apr 5, 2018
BATAVIA — Barbara Jablonski loves water, the ourdoors and painting. So what could be better for her than to combine those three things into one hobby?
The answer: nothing.
Jablonski, an artist from Pittsford, finds her smile on the banks the Erie Canal with her brush and paints. A plein air painter, she has captured the comings and goings along the canal for decades right from her back yard. It’s a passion that has translated to a money-making venture, having sold many of her paintings over the years.
But she doesn’t just walk outside and start painting. No, there’s a process of composition, designing and painting that play equal roles in creating her art.
On Tuesday, from 7 to 9 p.m., she will illustrate that process during a demonstration for the Batavia Society of Artists at the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council, 201 East Main St.
“I am actually going to teach them the basic elements of composition for waterscapes,” Jablonski said. “Having that basic understanding of composition will give them a solid foundation for their art. We will be sketching a composition and talking about what makes a good one and what makes a bad one. You could be the best painter in the world, but if your composition isn’t right, your painting won’t look right. The composition is the bones of a painting. If you don’t have the bones, the body won’t stand.
“I will show them my process and thought process so it doesn’t look like a 2D painting, but a 3D one. I will show them how the composition applies to a water scene.”
Jablonski owns and operates an artist studio in Pittsford, but it’s outdoors where she is most at home.
“I am a studio artist, but for years I have done minimal studio art, because I love landscapes,” she said. “I live right on the canal, and I just love being so close to the water. I can’t be out west for too long, because they don’t have enough water.”
The demonstration will be held in GO-Art’s main gallery. It is free for BSA members and $5 for non-members.
“Barbara’s work is fantastic,” said Teresa Tamfer, BSA treasurer. “She is very enthusiastic about plein air painting and an entertaining demonstrator. We really wanted to get her to do a demo on boats. It is a subject most artists have or wanted to paint and it doesn’t matter which medium they normally use, Barbara can relate to all.”
To see Jablonski’s work, visit BarbaraJablonski.com.
