ANDY ECCLESHALL | 1ST PLACE
2024 ARTIST’S CHOICE COMPETITION
1st Place Winning Entry, 2024 Artist’s Choice Competition
Andy Eccleshall, Testament, oil
Andy Eccleshall
Based in the Pacific Northwest, award-winning artist Andy Eccleshall is surrounded by the natural beauty he paints. He has aptly described his brilliant work as “representational atmospheric landscape art.” Eccleshall’s list of awards, honors, exhibitions, and publication features number in the dozens. We talked to him recently about the inspiration and process involved in his work.
Andy Eccleshall, Into the Light, oil
Your paintings capture the atmospheric light. Do you derive your palette from your subject?
The palette is often based on plein air studies of the subject, but not always. Sometimes I will adjust the palette in order to achieve the atmosphere I want. My goal with any painting is to place the viewer in the scene and have them "feel" the atmosphere. Sometimes this means I need to play with the "drama" a little bit.
Andy Eccleshall, First Run, oil
Your painting, “Testament,” uses muted tones, yet the color of the water brings the entire piece to life. How do you determine the color balance?
Testament is derived from the actual colors of the scenes in the San Juan Islands of Washington State. That IS the color of the water, and it's truly amazing! The Pacific Northwest is blessed with subtleties and contradictions like this.
As I paint I’m always aware of the visual balance, where the "weight" of the subject matter is, and I balance it against the negative spaces. As the work progresses there are often adjustments using glazes to enhance or subdue the color in certain areas to achieve the color balance I need.
Andy Eccleshall, Off the Grid, oil
What determines whether your painting will be rich in color or a more muted tone?
It all comes down to what mood I'm trying to capture or create. And often what mood I'm in myself. I tend to paint scenes from the season I'm in. I love the fall here, with increasing mists and grey tones. It's a great time for nocturnes and light effects. In the brighter months I'm more likely to be working on massive cloud formations and rich sunsets.
All artwork © Andy Eccleshall, shared with permission.