Erin Hanson Reinterprets the American Landscape In Vibrant Colors

For some, art provides inspiration for travel and adventure. But for others, it’s the other way around. Such is the case with painter Erin Hanson. With the large majority of her paintings dedicated to the American landscapes, Hanson invites the viewer to experience nature through her eyes, in all its vibrancy.

Combining the style painting of the impressionists with the color palettes of the expressionists, Hanson treats her art as “Open Impressionism.” Meaning: her paintings, while not realist, provides a realistic feeling or experience (rather than representation) of the places she visits. “I am not trying to re-create a photograph,” she writes on her website, “I am trying to get my viewers to open their eyes and see their world a little differently.”

Her work is the direct outcome of her forays into National Parks and other recesses of nature include backpacking expeditions, rock climbing, and photo safari. “I want people to look at the San Gabriel mountains, when they are stuck in their car during 5pm traffic,” she relayed, “and see the amazing range of purples that appear when the sun starts setting and the brilliant oranges and sherbet colors in the highlights.”

And since Hanson’s paintings are very much tied to her travels, she makes sure she dedicates time to both activities. “Now that I am a full-time artist, I set aside several times during the year when I travel out into the wilderness to get inspired for months of painting,” she writes. “I often hike solo, waking up before dawn every day to get the best lighting across the landscape.”

Step inside her colorful landscapes.