It’s usually easier to create artwork as the canvas get smaller, but that wasn’t true for the winner of the “Your Big Talent One Small Space” competition. Warren Wayne Kessler, an award-winning painter based in Fargo, N.D., discovered this challenge firsthand.
“I often paint in a small format but this is the first time I have put so much information in one small space,” Kessler, the artist of the winning piece The Northland wrote in an email.
The Professional Artist competition called for artists to create an original piece of art in a 2.5-by-3.5 inch space, and more than 100 people took the challenge head on, Kessler included.
In his art, Kessler focuses primarily on landscapes and urban scenes from his town, something that is reflected in this winning piece done plein air.
“I do quite a bit of plein air painting, so a landscape was a natural choice. The thick cloud cover, rolling hills and winding road were the first things that drew me to paint this location.”
While the material was familiar to him, the size was not. “Trying to produce a painting in such a small space was an exciting experience. It allowed me the freedom to try something new and I had a great time doing it,” Kessler wrote.
Given the size and intricacy of the piece, one would expect an equally intricate process, but Kessler’s approach to the task seems relatively simple. “I mixed my pallet, taped off the space on the entry sheet, and used a No. 2 sable brush for the entire painting,” he wrote.
Kessler enjoys being a professional artist because “I get to do something I love; the satisfaction I receive from working as an artist is immeasurable.”
To see more of Warren Wayne Kessler’s artwork (in regular sizes) visit www.WarrenWKesslerArt.com or www.facebook.com/WarrenWKesslerArt. To see the finalists and honorable mentions from the competition, view our Facebook album.
