Larry Chestnut

Artist Bio

Larry Chestnut is an East Coast artist specializing in a manner of painting called premier coup—paintings that are inspired by the scene directly in front of the artist and completed in one sitting without later revisions. He combines this style of artwork with plein air painting to achieve spontaneity and to sharpen visual acuity. Larger works requiring research are often done in the studio, and the premier coup techniques and philosophy are still employed when doing still life paintings in the studio.

Major influences are the American Impressionists, the Ashcan School, and the New Hope School of Painting, specifically, artists like Edward Redfield, Robert Henri, Childe Hassam, Theo Robinson, Sargent, and Homer. Contemporary artists like Liz Ruggles, Bob Saxon, Don Stone, and Richard Schmid have been major influences on Larry's style and technique.