Path through the Daisies

about 6x6 pastel and watercolor on board $100. plus tax and shipping Sold
Today was a day of socializing and selling my work at my school's Fall Bazaar. Thank you to all the wonderful, supportive parents and enthusiastic young artists (children) of Lowell School who stopped by to chat. Finally when my day was done, it was time to paint. After looking at many of my field paintings all day, I had this one on my mind.

March 19/20, 2008 Springtime by the Stream

19x27 approx, pastel on wallis board, up for auction at Lowell School Auction

This stream is a beautiful place at my school. Many who do not know the stream think it is a place in my imaginaton. The painting has been described by some as "dreamy," "ethereal" and "sublime." It is a place I love and have strong feelings about, therefore once I had the idea it flowed. I have decided to place it on the Lowell Auction to help the school's scholarship cause.

So what is it that draws one person to "love" a painting? I think it isn't because it shows a place, although sometimes people choose art for that reason. I feel it is because it evokes a feeling, something deep and primitive. Something you can't describe. Alas, there it is. Painting and describing places is easy, cameras can do it. Evoking feeling...HARD. I guess it is because first you need to feel it then you have to figure out what to do to create it. (Sometimes photos can evoke feeling, that is when photography becomes art.) Words people have used to describe favorite paintings include: mystery, brooding, and sublime. Hmmmmmm. Now we begin to connect with the idea of what makes art, art.
But, I guess I am talking too much. I am working on two other paintings, the gorge and Chincoteague. I will maybe post Chincoteague progress tomorrow.

January 7, 2008 Children Painting by the Stream (LowellSchool)

7.5x 9 pastel on board, $100. plus tax and shipping
Inspiration: outdoor light, contrast, figures in space. This beautiful warm morning reminded me of another beautiful warm day at school. Now it's off to the river!

December 17, 2007 The Lowell Stream

Today was one of those days! I worked on a painting of the river and wiped it out. Yuck! Then I noticed out of the corner of my eye that this painting (a big) one kept staring at me. I began it in April, but was never able to really resolve it to my satisfaction. Finally, I had an idea. I think it is done. As Richard says, "Value is the workhorse but color gets all the glory. "