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If you haven’t already signed up for the Rancho Santa Fe Art Guild’s 2022 Artist Demos, you might want to call the Guild’s co-treasurer Judy Hague right now! This April 18th, Impressionist painter Jeff Sewell kicks off the season sharing his award-winning plein air style with fresh insights and a tried-and- true methodology of instruction. JeffSewellArt.com

Recently I was able to grab a few moments of Jeff’s time just as he and 4 of his 6 children returned from their “surf shack” north of Zihuantanejo Mexico.  Jeff is a self-proclaimed SoCal “kid” of the 70’s beach culture.  His independent nature and proximity to the mighty Pacific led him to discover a world of art and teaching.  Painting was not where Jeff started as an artist.  High school and college took the fun out of art and pushed him towards his musical talents.  Through his 20’s he enjoyed playing the bass guitar in bands but soon grew tired of four guys in a garage.  He fell in love, got married, and made a living as a hands-on construction maintenance supervisor.  This lucrative career made it possible for him to start his family, buy a home and begin collecting art.  Art collecting, Jeff points out, was the first of 4 steps to his synchronistic art education and his success as an artist today.  Art collecting became an obsession for Jeff.  With a favorite gallery right around the corner from his home, he fell in love with California Impressionist artists, in particular Frank Serrano and Glenn Dean. 

With these acquisitions of fine art Jeff began to dissect paintings.  He soon became a museum and gallery hound, searching for art he could love and understand. This brought about the second step into his art studies – the dissection and analytical questioning of works of art.  This helped him understand why he liked some works, and more importantly, why he didn’t like other works.  He absorbed all the art he could see asking himself how the artist produced this color or achieved this mood.  He tracked down numerous painting techniques.  One day, while buying an outdoor easel, the shop owner suggested he take a class at Irvine Valley College.  Here he met and studied with Jeff Horn, landscape painter.  Horn, a professor emeritus at Irvine Valley College, had a unique and successful way of teaching painting.  Students would paint outdoors one day a week – one painting in the morning and one in the afternoon with Horn. 

Around this time Jeff met another talented artist, Greg LaRock.  Jeff and Greg became fast friends, painting together three or more times per week, each producing 6-8 paintings weekly.  They critiqued one another’s work, shared ideas and discussed their individual technical breakthroughs.  Jeff says he learned a great deal from this sharing with his friend and fellow artist.  Jeff proclaims that LaRock had more talent and skills than he did, but LaRock still took Jeff’s thoughts and critiques quite seriously.  These moments of sharing and the experience gained by producing more work in a 2-year period then an average student would produce in 10 years gave him his third step into his art education.

Sewell also feels that his initial and complete immersion into the plein air style of painting taught him how to paint the purity of nature.  Jeff explains that he paints “representationally” to convey distance, mood and movement but leaves his work “interpretative and loose.”  He is “economic with his information” which allows the viewer to “dot their own i’s and cross their own t’s.”   Jeff prefers a limited palette – just 10 tubes of traditional colors plus an “electric green and or blue” and “something a little bit foreign.”  He now paints both in the studio and outdoors on canvases as large as 4’x6’ and as small as 6”x6”.

Jeff’s fourth step into the arts has been his association with the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA).  Jeff is a Signature Member of the association and serves on the LPAPA Board of Directors as the Director of Education and Mentorship.  Through his participation with LPAPA, Jeff created a project called “The Plein Air Project” which brings art instructors and mentors into the local school system for children in the 4th grade.  Jeff explains that over the past 10 years he has instructed over 5,000 children in the ways of Impressionist art.  The program consists of 4 parts. It starts in the classroom where the children are introduced to Impressionism and how it impacted the world of art.  He even explains the special significance and history their local area holds for the Impressionist art movement.  Next the children tour the Irvine Museum with mentors deciphering the characteristics of the art.  Last, and I am sure the most compelling for the kids, is a painting session with an artist both al fresco and in an art studio.  

Now this next part is what I meant earlier about why you might want to call Judy at the Guild.  Jeff explains that his 10 years of presenting art to a classroom of 4th graders has made his presentations easily understandable for all ages.  If a 4th grader gets it, you will too.  Jeff’s painting demonstration also includes tips on the use of water-based oils.  Jeff made the switch 3 years ago to water-based oils to get away from the nasty chemicals.  He plans to discuss the whys and hows and offers tips and techniques on the use of these “not the same but good paints” throughout the demonstration.

As we wind down our phone conversation, Jeff mentions some of his favorite painters. They include William Wendt, Edgar Payne,Matt Smith and Jeff Yeomans.  Jeff describes Yeomans as a great guy and wonderfulpainter.  Lucky for us Jeff Yeomans will be demonstrating next month for the Rancho Santa Fe Art Guild – call Judy.  

Jeff now needs to hurry off the phone because he is working on choosing his submissions to the California Art Club Gold Medal Exhibition.  His work has been selected for this exclusive juried show for the past 5 years.  The Club, established in 1909, will be celebrating its 111th year of promoting the practice of traditional fine art worldwide with their numerous exhibitions.  

Jeff will also be participating in the 23rd annual Laguna Plein Air Invitational in October.  This competition invites only 35 of the most accomplished artists to participate in a weeklong competition.  

For the past 20 years of painting, Jeff’s work has received numerous awards and merits.  His paintings are collected by patrons and museums.  His work is shown in several galleries in Orange County.  Jeff’s work depicts the diversity of our local landscape and his deep connection to the land and sea. He is not just singin’ them good ol’ California Blues – he paints them.

See more at his website jeffsewellart.com

Join us in keeping art alive in our community, Join the Rancho Santa Fe Art Guild as an Art Patron or Artist Member. 
Fees for each demo are $20 for members and $50 for guests. 

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Posted on 4/3/2022 11:53:30 AM by Adele Hendricks

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