Plein Air or Studio?

Rose and Gaia (Rosie and Gail) hard at work.

Through a series of lucky coincidences, Rosie and I have a painting studio right on the inner harbor in our little town. This is where I paint - daily if possible - and where I design Rose+Gaia's products, manage our social media, and do the day-to-day shop tasks required of an online retailer. (It's also the magical spot from which I visit museums all over the world, sleuthing for public domain images that will work on our products.)

I love studio painting - I work from memory, sketches, or photos. I like the control I have in my space. I can feel overwhelmed when painting outdoors. Sometimes, though, I stretch my painter's muscles (and mojo) - and paint plein air. Here's Rosie keeping me company on a porch in South Dartmouth, MA, with a view worth the struggle.

Are you a painter? Do you prefer plein air or studio work, and why? I'd love to connect on this.