the job is not to describe

"The job is not to describe or use local colors, but to use color combinations to create the sensuous reality of light and space."
I found that written in my sketchbook. J.M.W. Turner wrote this once and I have held those words inside me. With Turner's words I have a kindred spirit.

grays and luminosity

oil,11x14

Pure color has more power next to gorgeous grays. Just Look at Turner's work and you will see. He didn't use dark foils to make luminosity. Sanford Gifford didn't use darks either. Instead there is one pure point and the rest is grayed.

at the NGA, Siout, Egypt, Sanford Gifford

at the Met, A Gorge in the Mountains, Sanford Gifford

Here are two I have visited recently.  Aren't they exquisite?

December 13, 2007 Key Bridge Twilight

Lately I have been reading about Whistler. He was an outspoken critic of everyone and everything. Funny enough, he didn't like JMW Turner. He ridiculed Turner's outrageous 'sun paintings.' "Who would paint the sun?!?!" Whistler, instead, paints the moon. His small landscapes are quite amazing, most have three bands of color, with very subtle transitions. There are many in the Freer Gallery, downtown. After a critic referred to his Girl in White as a symphony he began naming his work by musical terms: overture, symphony, composition. I like that idea.
So this one is for Whistler. He makes it look so easy...it's not!

December 9, 2007 Snowy Path

I did two "vitamins" today to make up for yesterday.
The question, in painting, how much is too much and what is not enough? With this painting I tried to play with exactly how much I need to put in to give the message. Think Turner or Inness. I really like this one.

December 2, 2007

How do you make things GLOW? For answers I decided to look to my pals , the Hudson River painters, Turner, George Inness and of course, Richard McKinley. Simultaneous contrast is of course the key, right Richard? This one was taken from a black and white sketch. Keep working. I feel like the 7 dwarfs..hi ho hi ho and off to work I go.

November 20, 2007 Road to Lewes

Should it matter that my framer (with a scrunched up nose) told me yesterday that I am getting more representational and less abstract? Yes, it bothered me. But I guess when I think about it, yes, I long for abstraction within reality. I also want, more importantly, a painting that has emotion. Therefore, I went straight to clouds. Using a photo from this summer, remembering my friend Turner, I got to work. Hmmmm. I'll look at it tomorrow.
On another note today I will go to the Shendandoah to do sketches for later paintings. I do not know if I will have an internet connection. So I may post late. Toodles.

November 17, 2007 Potomac morning, cold

Potomac is still one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Turner came with me. He had a subtle presence.

November 13, 2007

This one still needs more work. Began last night and continued this morning. More later....
Need to go to that Turner show again!
Went to hear YoYo Ma last night and so many images were moving in my head. I think I painted at least 20 paintings at that concert. Thanks Irene!

November 12, 2007 Maine Z

Turner is back. I decided to use some of my Maine plein air work and photos to create this 'study.' My concept was the Maine z waters at dawn: create distance and grandeur. I underpainted in burnt sienna (oil.) Push the warm front and cool back. Subtle drama. Let's try another.

November 10, 2007

Turner is back again. I took one of my "too dark"river studies from this summer and gave it "Turner morning light." It was fun.

November 9, 2007

This afternoon I went to the Turner show. It was awesome. Feeling inspired, I rushed home through the rain to work in the studio. As I waited in traffic I snapped a picture of Key Bridge. I decided I would turn it into a "Turner sunset."