Doug Leman

Gouache, 6 x 8"

Plein air painting that captures the feel of a place. The shapes lead you in to enjoy.

Q&A with the Artist

Where did you paint this piece?

A friend invited me along to the Rempstone Steam Fair in Leicestershire, an event he’d painted at before. It’s a huge gathering with hundreds—if not thousands—of vintage vehicles, plus a traditional fairground, food stalls, and displays. Around 12,000 people visit over the weekend, so it’s lively, noisy, and full of distractions.

How long did it take to complete?

I usually work within a 90-minute window and always finish a painting in one sitting. That’s part of the challenge I enjoy—capturing what I see in the moment. If it takes much longer, I feel I lose touch with what drew me to the subject in the first place.

Does the final piece reflect your original vision?

In some ways, yes. It was an incredibly hot day (31°C), so I was using more water than usual and couldn’t achieve the textures I like, but you work with what the day gives you. Compositionally, I’m pleased. I enjoy cropped views—teaching myself that it’s okay not to show “the whole thing,” because often it’s the detail or fragment that really holds your attention.

Were there any unexpected challenges?

Plenty! Steamrollers trundling past, a banjo group playing Oasis alongside the fairground noise, people stopping to chat. At one point someone knocked over my easel and water spilled over a painting I’d just started, so I had to abandon it. And to top it off—wasps everywhere.

What inspires you to paint and create images like this?

I’m still fairly new to painting (about four years), but I’ve found myself drawn to reflections and reflective surfaces. In this case, the bumper of the car was perfect. While I admire artists who capture whole scenes or landscapes, what excites me most is focusing on a single object—spending an hour or so really studying it. It’s just me and that subject, tuning out everything else. That deep focus gives me huge appreciation for past artists who could lay down just a few blobs of paint, then step back and somehow it all comes together perfectly.

Thanks Doug!

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