Friday, April 1, 2011

a painting is a beautiful mix of fact and feeling

12x24 oil on board
As I continue to work on this painting I keep coming back to quotes I have written in my sketch books, quotes by the master, George Inness.
 George Inness insisted that the beginning artist fully understand the underlying structures and systems of nature, he called these the "strict and sober facts." It's so true. Since only after  achieving this mechanical skill is the artist  ready to edit and interpret what she/he sees and experiences. It is  the  marriage of realism and individual interpretation  As Inness wrote, "a painting must possess both the subjective sentiment-the poetry of nature- and the objective fact."

A painting is a beautiful mix of feeling and fact. - the new words on my studio door.

While this painting is still unfinished it perfectly demonstrates those words. This is a painting that has taken over. It started from a plein air piece, but now is completely its own animal. Memory, knowledge of how the landscape works and feeling are the food for its creation ...the plein air piece has no use for me now..

12 comments:

William Cook said...

Such a huge painting on such a little space!

Donna T said...

I'm really liking the little piece of clear blue sky you added, Loriann. Simultaneous contrast: Clear sky against hazy. I need to remember this when I want more depth in a sky. This is such a beauty!

Linda Schweitzer said...

Beautiful, Loriann! I thought it glowed in the earlier stage, but here you have pushed it further. Painting is supposed to be visual poetry...

Katherine Kean said...

This one's sublime! I love the colors, the transitions and the simplicity. Well done!

Double "D" said...

Wow, !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Beautiful. I think you still have control!
pb

Anonymous said...

Hi Loriann,
You have made the landscape your own. The intensity of light on the right side is quite arresting. The intense orange perhaps is too strong and should not work because of that fact-but it does work. It grabs your eye and prevents it from leaving the painting by directing you to the sky with the wonderful yellow clouds and sun then over to the distant blue trees. This painting has a feeling of warmth and open space. You state......."the plein air piece has no use for me now". The plein air piece is in this painting for it is the starting point from which you began your voyage. You quote George Inness-'that a painting must posses both the subjective sentiment-the poetry of nature and the objective fact" Loriann you are creating paintings that truly echo what Inness wrote. Several decades later Hans Hoffman states, "My aim in painting is to create pulsating,luminous and open surfaces that emanate a mystic light, in accordance with deepest insight into the experience of life and nature" . I found this quote in an article featuring the acrylic landscapes of Brenda Horowitz that is in the May 2011 American Artist. Reading that quote i thought that after seeing this painting how much this piece reflects Hoffman's aim.

NJ ART 73

Caroline Simmill said...

Lovely painting Loriann, wouldn't the tree on the right of the painting be very dark if the light was behind, it is a very strong light. I think you had it correct before.

loriann signori said...

Hi William..that sounds good. Just wait till these smaller paintings grow up!

Hi Donna...Thanks about the blue...it just told me it belonged there. Simultaneous contrast is the key, eh?
I am just waiting for it to dry so that I can do more!

Hi Linda and thank you. We all do aim for visual poetry.

Hi Katherine, woman of the beautiful skies, thank you!

loriann signori said...

Hey PB,
Are you "on the road again/" Thank you about the painting!

Hi NJ,
I LOVE LOVE that Hans Hoffman quote!!! I do aim to create that pulsating quality in the color that resonates from the feeling of light not necessarily the reality of it. This piece still needs some more work and I am just waiting for it to dry. More later. Thanks for your thoughtful comment.

Hi Carolyn, You are so right about the dark. I didn't like the tree i had so I sanded it down completely and began a new layer. I stopped when I liked the orange and felt I would wait until I came back the next time to see what to do next. I am not sure which way I will press. But you are sure right that reality would say dark.Let's see what happens!

Double "D" said...

yup, still on the road shooting for home by april 8.
more photos to come

loriann signori said...

PB, Sounds like a great trip, enjoy!-b

JANE MINTER said...

so vibrant lorrian .. beautiful