"Contemplation"

"Contemplation", 10x8", oil on panel

Mary Williams Fine Art

In my last post, I talked about how I will change my technique to "fit" different subjects.  A lively, colorful subject (like the peaches in my last post) will likely get a very impressionistic approach with lots of thick paint and color, perhaps with a bit of palette knife application while I'm there.  I'll also change my approach to fit my mood.  With these white roses, I decided to slow way down and really see my subject.  The color shifts and the edges were full of subtlety, so I needed to be patient and build the painting gradually.

Today's art market encourages artists to find a certain style and stick to it, making that technique their recognizable trademark.  Try as I might, I can't stick with the same approach to all of my paintings.  For me, art is an exploration and I'm constantly seeking new subjects and new ways to approach them.  

Thank you Sherri Burritt, fellow artist and green thumb extraordinaire for sharing these home grown beauties with me!

"Glad To See You"

"Glad To See You", 8x8" oil on cradled 2" gesso board, $135

At the J. Petter Gallery

(269)857-2230

I was so "Glad To See" so many friendly faces at the Petter Gallery this past weekend for the artists' exhibition.  Nine artists set up around the gallery to show their techniques while a guitarist played in the background and wine and appetizers were passed.  This is the little painting I worked on during the exhibition.

One of my favorite moments of the evening was when three brothers, ages 4 to 8 stopped by to watch me paint.  They lined up like silent soldiers and seriously studied every move I made.  To break the ice,  I showed them the particular flowers I was looking at for my painting, and I asked them, "Do you think my painting looks like the flowers?".  The middle brother flatly said "No".  Ah well, can't win them all, I thought to myself, and went back to work while the brothers huddled together and whispered.  A moment later, the oldest brother stepped up and said, "Excuse me, we don't think your painting looks like the flowers, because we think it looks better".  They turned on their heels and marched off to find their parents.

I took a moment to smile and think that perhaps we experienced together what it means to interpret a subject in a painting.  Maybe it doesn't look just like the "thing", but after passing through our eyes, our minds, and our hands, something even more descriptive can be the result.

"Abundance", 16x20"

I bought a small bunch of peonies from a farm stand last week, brought them home and put them in water.  The next morning, they had exploded into the most beautiful blooms you could imagine.  I couldn't let another minute go by without painting them, so I whisked them up to my studio and put them under lights.  They remained glorious for days while I labored away, trying to capture their beauty without overdoing the details.

After scraping my painting away three times, this is the iteration I was most happy with.  I hope you like it too.