ARTIST’S CORNER: ATMOSPHERIC LANDSCAPES GIVE A FEEL OF PLACE

Jul Jankowski’s “See Close Eyes” work possesses a unique seascape. CONTRIBUTED

Have you ever stared at a work of art and felt like you were there? Have you ever gotten the mood and feeling of the place? 

It doesn’t have to be an exact representation of the place, but more of the vibes of the place.  Having a work of art that is too clear and too exacting takes away from the vibe of the place.  Exacting might be the reality but it kind of kills the mood. The artwork or photograph that gave you the feel is an atmospheric landscape.

The feels or the vibes are important in art. If you really think about it, we live in an area of the world that is constantly giving off vibes or a lifestyle. All you have to do is look out toward the water on whatever key you are on and you instantly get that “I’m living on an island” kind of vibe.  

The Florida Keys lifestyle is tied directly to the water. We go fishing, boating, paddling, kayaking, sailing and much more. Directly or indirectly, our livelihood and our lifestyle are based on the ocean. Well, it is also based on the Everglades and the Florida Bay, but you get my point (boy oh boy, that is another discussion that someone who is more of a scientist than I can discuss). Think about how lucky we are and how most people would want to live in our atmospheric landscape.

Atmospheric landscape is a type of landscape that is hazy or in soft focus. This gives our mind the ability to dive right into the artwork and get a feeling of a place — like the impressionist Claude Monet does with his use of colors and light at different times. Monet gave us a whole mood. His paintings were filled with atmospheric perspective, which used color blocking to give depth.  

Another artist who filled a painting with atmosphere is J.M.W. Turner. A British artist who lived from 1775-1861, he is not as well-known as Monet but his artwork really sets a mood. His use of atmosphere is so dramatic, he is known as the “Painter of Light” and is an English romantic painter. One thing I’ve noticed over the years is when anyone talks about a romantic, there is usually a lot of atmosphere involved. 

Giving this feeling or mood to a painting is not exactly easy. If you feel up to it, you can create an atmospheric landscape by having more grays and neutrals in the distance, at the same time having a little more blue mixed in. The foreground should have more contrast. This will give you a hazy perspective in the landscape – or more likely a seascape if you are painting here in the Keys. Trying this out will really give you an appreciation for what these artists do. Atmospheric landscape is not only a coastal thing, it can be about mountains, a swamp, desert or any landscape that makes you feel like you are there.

Jul Jankowski’s “Casting Spells” piece has a glow. CONTRIBUTED

The Upper Keys have a lot of talented artists and there are quite a few who have images that give you a whole mood. I think the easiest way to think about atmospheric landscape painting in the Keys is a beautiful coastal scene in the brightest of days, a sunset, or a dock going into the ocean or a beach surrounded by palm trees.  

If you look at the art of Islamorada artist Jul Jankowski, you will see how some of her work has that unique atmospheric landscape or seascape. Her paintings are at night — they have a glow to them, and they are just as much coastal as the traditional coastal art. They celebrate how the Keys are in the early morning or at night. That is a whole mood, just like atmospheric landscapes should be.

William DePaula is an artist, designer and gemologist who believes in the power of art. From his early childhood onward, he has never stopped drawing, painting and creating. He envisions a world in which beauty is as important as function, where culture and history are respected, and where nature is at once powerful and vulnerable. Infusing an essence of life in all his paintings, DePaula understands beauty is accessible to all. DePaula's art has been featured in select art museums around the world.