The Impressionists were a genre of artists from the 19th century whose intent was to capture the effects natural light had on the landscape. To achieve this, they set their easels up outdoors. They called themselves "en plein air" artists which is a French expression that means "in the open air." Some believe that painting outdoors expresses nature in a fuller way and allows the artist to capture the needed vibrancy and spontaneity in their work. Today the contemporary landscape artists are very much still "en plein air" artists, but there are a group of landscape artists that, while painting indoors, paint a light from a slightly different source.
These landscape artists tend to create work that is abstract or slightly abstract. And to understand their source of light, you have to understand the abstract artist. The abstract artist has a painting style that is all together very different. The general consensus is that the abstract artist paints from within where there is more emotional and expressive energy. So if indeed these artists are painting a light source it would make sense that they are painting not the natural light on the outer world, but an expression of the inner light from within.
Artists and critics have yet to classify all the genres of abstract art. So at this present time there does not appear to be a classification for abstract artists painting "the light from within." But what does it really mean to paint this way?
First of all, not every abstract landscape artist attempts to paint an obvious light source within their work. And, those that do are generally unaware as to why they are doing it other than the fact that it may look intriguing. But considering what the light source represents from those abstract landscape artists that have spoken about it, it is something very soulful and connected with the individual. One way to explain it would be to say the light represent their our own souls connection with its source.
You see, without trying to re-create reality, some abstract landscape artists go within themselves to reveal on the canvas an essence of nature and also the source of nature, all while they are aware that the two are a part of themselves. The end result is something they consider spiritual, uplifting, or possibly healing. Of course, this is not to say that "en plein air" artists do not have these same emotions when painting, it's just a different way to express the light source.
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