COURTESY VIEWPOINTS GALLERY Ed Terpening’s “Sierra Peaks, Lake Tahoe” will be one of the pieces on exhibit Sept. 5 to Oct. 2 at Viewpoints Gallery in downtown Los Altos.

Town Crier Report

A solo show of oil paintings by Ed Terpening- featuring expressive, colorful, local landscapes and seascapes painted in “plein air” (in the open air) - will be presented during September at Viewpoints Gallery in Los Altos.

His exhibit, “The Expressive Landscape,” will be showing Sept. 5 to Oct. 2. A “Meet the Artist” reception will be held 2-5 p.m. Sept. 10 at the gallery, 315 State St.

Terpening is an emerging local painter who creates his paintings outdoors where a direct connection with his subject in natural light provides the most captivating results. Painting quickly in such a way results in the fresh, spontaneous and light-filled character of his work.

A musician, teacher and engineer before becoming an artist four years ago, Terpening draws on all his life experience in creating his art. From his musical experience Terpening said, “The best music leads the listener through a path of emotions, through theme and variation, dynamics, and a well-designed structure. My artwork uses design, color and line to lead the viewer through a path as well, and each painting is designed to communicate a specific mood. In particular, I like my paintings to have a flow and energy that denotes the rhythms of the mood I’m trying to create.”

Drawing on renewed interest in the creation of representational art from direct observation outdoors, Terpening is part of a recent resurgence in plein air painting in the United States. He is a co-founder of the Verde Artist Guild, a group of 75 plein-air painters that meets regularly to paint together and share their work throughout the Bay Area.

Viewpoints Gallery is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays.

For more information, visit www.EdTerpening.com, or to learn more about plein air painting in the Bay Area, visit www.VerdeArtistGuild.com.