Painting outside, right in front of nature, always makes me super happy. It's called "Plein air" painting, a fancy French term meaning "full air". For me, it's just an excuse to enjoy that beautiful fresh air.

I love painting outside for a bunch of reasons. First off, I gotta work fast. The sun moves quickly, and in just 2 hours, it changes the way light and shadows look. But, after standing up painting for that long, I'm usually ready to call it quits! The downside? I often have to come back for a second round of painting, and I gotta do it fast. See, in New England, the seasons switch up quickly, and the scenery can look different from one week to the next. So, I usually end up finishing my paintings back in my studio.

Second, when I paint outside, it's much easier for me to show my artistic style than when I paint from a picture in my studio. It's tough not to get stuck trying to make things look exactly like a photo. Outside it is just “moi” and my brushes.

Finally, painting outside just makes my brain feel good. Even if the painting doesn't turn out exactly as planned, I always finish feeling happy and satisfied!