Marie Hasty

My process + work

As we give away our creativity to AI, spend more of our time in front of screens, and optimize every waking moment, what does art mean? Certainly it is easy to type in a prompt and receive a glossy generated image — free of the mess of practice, preparation, and human mistakes. A frictionless exchange, devoid of struggle or risk.

My painting process is the opposite. It is, intentionally, highly inconvenient. I pack up my paints in a heavy backpack, stumble through the woods, and happen upon moments of light that are fleeting and ephemeral. By the time my tripod and easel are set up, the scene has completely changed. Most of my shirt sleeves have been dipped in paint. My paintings have been blown over by the wind and become the permanent homes of unlucky bugs.

“Why don’t you just take a photo?” You ask.

Because the work is the point. Because the bugbites are not an error in the process, but a feature. Because, in lives that are increasingly soft and sad, what a liberation it is to do something difficult and joyful.

Painting, to me, is the pursuit of an experience, not just a finished product. My work seeks to join the experience of the painter with the viewer. In my paintings, you will find warm pools of light under shady trees, wheelbarrows lit by an afternoon slant of light. Trash cans in driveways and creeks snaking through red clay. I am often inspired by small corners of life that have been passed by. Come join me in this view of our world.

The way that I paint is called ‘en plein air’ — in the open air. Contact me to learn more about workshop offerings and current pieces for sale.

Instagram: @hastydesigns

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