Tami Louco - painter

Artist Statement

Although I paint in the studio and from life my favorite painting is done outdoors. Plein air painters' subject matter is the physical world, observed directly. We start with what we see, not a concept. What I see can suggest a concept and I reserve the right to manipulate and edit what I see. I paint from life, a landscape, cityscape or the figure. I choose something that I find visually interesting or challenging to translate onto a flat surface.

But why that subject? The subject has to evoke an emotion in me, or my observation of the subject must make me realize something worth sharing. How the paint (or pastel or charcoal or graphite) is applied, moved around, layered, and altered is a mesmerizing process. I manipulate paint in order to communicate something I've seen and felt, at the same time explaining "so what?" to the viewer.

I have also studied, taught and applied my creativity to writing. The question a good teacher asks of a writer is "So what?'" This is the question a writer, and I think painter too, must answer by engaging the viewer. "Why should I care? What does this have to do with me?" The 'so what?' is the artist communicating why this particular arrangement of paint is worth observing. Technical accuracy is a starting point, not THE point. Only the viewer can decide if I have answered the more important question: 'So what?' I consider myself successful when someone says, "I couldn't stop thinking about your painting."

Tami Louco is an oil painter who loves plein air (outdoor) painting because of the looseness of paint application and the pressure of a time limit. Tami was introduced to plein air painting in high school, painting garages in an alley behind her art teacher's house in western Pennsylvania. She continued practicing art making at Geneva College and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh, majoring in both Studio Art and English Literature. Tami transitioned from being a mural/faux finish painter to "fine art". Preferring to paint from life, her subjects include landscapes, interiors, still life, portraits, and the figure. In recent years Tami has participated in many plein air events, allowing intense focus on and appreciation of unique American landscapes.

Artistic Process

I interact with the landscape physically, by being there, and gathering information, which can be at a minimum taking photographs, but also includes notan sketches, small value sketches, sometimes a quick 5x7 oil paint sketch, before I begin a larger plein air painting. The sketching process helps me determine placement (composition) and helps me decide if the value changes are readable. At this point I can decide if I have a clear goal for the painting. I try to finish a plein air painting "alla prima" - in one go - but stepping away and then reengaging later can help me to determine what the painting may still need in order to be successful. Smaller plein air paintings are also used for larger, and somewhat different, studio paintings. Typically I use a limited palette, which creates unity in a painting.

You can see more of Tami's work at her site https://www.tamilouco.com/.

©2024 Tami Louco. All rights reserved. Duplication is not allowed without permission.