Plein air oil painter Lori Putnam featured at Cawdrey Gallery

Lori Putnam lives in Central Tennessee near Nashville, but she is truly a resident of the world, having painted in more than 30 different countries.  

Putnam paints en plein air, painting outdoors, on-site, creating sketches and studies in oil, gouache or pencil. These studies are her “notes” that she takes back to her Tennessee studio to use as references for large-format oil paintings. 

Putnam’s style is impressionistic. Big impasto brushstrokes sweep across the canvas creating a dynamic dance of color and texture. When seen up close, the composition feels abstract, and the subject only comes into focus as the paintings are viewed from farther away. 

“My ultimate goal is to establish a profound connection between my paintings and the viewers as a gentle reminder of the grandeur of even the most ordinary moments or subjects,” Putnam said. “Whether I'm capturing the unique mystery of blue and pink shadows in snow or the tranquility of cows cooling off in a stream, my objective remains steadfast: to encapsulate what makes each subject extraordinary and significant and to invite the viewer to see it, too.” 

Putnam’s exhibit at Cawdrey Gallery will be on display for the month of July. An opening reception, free and open to the public, will be on Thursday, July 11 from 5 to 8 p.m. during the Whitefish Gallery Nights Art Walk.