Artists find natural inspiration in the outdoors in Bradford County

Brian Keeler was standing on the sidewalk near the top of a hill in downtown Towanda. He wore a wide-brimmed hat to block out the hot Wednesday sun. A pan of oil paint in a rainbow of colors hung from an easel.

“I see this view right here of Poplar Street, looking at the Bradford County courthouse, and it reminds me of other hill towns, like San Francisco,” he said.

Keeler’s canvas had an outline of the courthouse, Lady Justice and her scales above, as well as other downtown buildings and mountains. He filled the sky with white paint.

Keeler is a founder of the Susquehanna Solstice Fest, which features outdoor painting.

“It just means en plein air, painting en plein air like the impressionist did in the 19th century, painting directly from another French word or motif or subject or scene, and it’s a great way to paint,” he said.

Deep valleys, historic architecture and interesting trees beckoned the 30 artists who practiced the French technique this week in Bradford County. This is the third year East Coast locals and painters and more have interpreted the region through art during the festival.

Keeler was born and raised in the region. He wanted to bring other artists to the area he had been painting all his life.

“It’s very special to me,” he said.

On the neighborhood’s main street, Michelle Tulumello found a shady spot. She sketched the red brick Towanda Public Library.

“I think it’s Flemish Gothic or something… I just thought it was really interesting,” she said. “There are a lot of really nice-looking bookcases out there, and I enjoy drawing things like that.”

Tulumello is an illustrator from New York who complements her drawings with watercolor.

“I like the opportunity to be able to sit outside and draw the built environment like architecture,” she said.

She painted Wyalusing on Monday and drove through the countryside on Tuesday. Artists are encouraged to explore the region.

Steve Duprey, also from New York, painted on the side of the road between Towanda and Wyalusing.

“Every once in a while you get into, ‘I like this thing and my brushes like this thing and they don’t like anything else,’ so I spent some time looking for a nice tree like this,” he said.

The crowded route turned into a curved country road on his canvas.

“What we’re doing is interpreting, for example, I’m painting this little scene here. And that gray barn isn’t gray anymore. It’s red, because I wanted to focus on going back to that,” he said.

Duprey loves the spontaneity and exploration that comes with plein air.

“I heard an expression the other day, you have to find reality and make it into a painting,” he said.

During the interview, a woman across the street stopped us to check on him.

“That’s the other thing I like about plein air… the people who live here stopped and talked to me for a while and gave me some suggestions. 99% of the time it’s sweet and the other 1% is “get off my land,” he said.

Mitchell Saler and his canvas and oil paints were under an umbrella under a tree at the Marie Antionette Lookout along Route 6. The scenic stop overlooks the Susquehanna River and the farmland that surrounds the river.

“I just love the magnificent view of the river and I love to paint the atmosphere and the vastness,” he said.

The 30 artists began painting outdoors on Monday. They usually finish their work by the end of the week.

“That’s kind of the essence of plein air. It’s a kind of direct spontaneous and quick study,” Keeler said.

The outdoor painting culminates with a juried art show and awards ceremony Friday evening at the French Historic Site Azilum, 469 Queens Road, Towanda. Live music and other events also start on Friday.

The asylum was founded in the late 1790s for monarchists fleeing the French Revolution.

For more details, visit susquehannasolstice.com.