Growing up, Brian Belfield quickly learned to love the outdoors, hiking and camping in the mountains, deserts, and beaches of California. Those beautiful scenes always remain etched in his memory.
Inspired by the astounding drawings of a childhood friend, Brian began to create his own work and pursued art throughout school. He ultimately earned a B.A. in illustration at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena.
While art school gave Brian a broad academic understanding of the fundamentals and exposed him to a wide spectrum of ideas, it was only by going out into nature, time and again, and applying those fundamentals to the canvas that he really learned to paint.
Returning to San Diego, Brian's paintings depict the places he loved as a child. Each represents a specific time and place, painted impressionistically with emphasis on the real rather than the ideal. They typically feature harmonious color and a strong value structure. He finds himself intrigued by: the great volumes of shadow created by sea cliffs, the chaos and complexity of a sycamore tree, and the incessant motion of ocean waves.
Brian Belfield is a signature member of the American Impressionist Society and Oil Painters of America
Most of my paintings are of places that I love. Some I've known since I was a kid, others I've grown to love after painting them for years.
My artwork arises from the world around me. My plein air work is driven by my desire to be out painting in my favorite places. The studio paintings are often inspired by plein air sessions. I like to use a plein air study as a reference in the studio, especially for color.
To me, my subjects are specific and often well known. I'm not just painting any old chunk of rock at the beach, I'm painting a particular chunk of rock that I've come to know and respect. I'm painting a portrait as well as a landscape. While I may change the specifics somewhat for composition or simplification, I always try to preserve the greater truth. I find myself intrigued by: the great volumes of shadow created by sea cliffs, the chaos of a sycamore tree, and the incessant motion of ocean waves.
CvStateCA
CountryUSA
