on the studio table and easel

I have not been posting as much although I have been working. I had a commission that was completed and delivered. Several other deadlines that are done and checked off. But in between and here and there I have been painting- inside and outside. For a month I painted outside once a week which was very enlightening as well as challenging. But I felt that the lessons that I was learning, I was bringing back with me to the studio. Not quite sure how, but I feel it. My work has always been nature inspired. There was a time when I strayed a bit from nature based themes, my bowl series, and that was when I was living in Chicago and I was not getting my daily dose of nature in those days living the city life. My painting en plein air excursions have really instigated a dialogue in my head about what it is that I want to express in my nature based works.

I really do enjoy painting the landscapes, even though I need a lot more time developing my paintings. I enjoy studying the light and thinking about color harmony in the landscapes in front of me.

But.

But that’s not what my vision is, not what I want my art to speak to.

Now I am back in a life that is more in tune to nature and the seasonal turns, I am dedicating myself to delve into what has always pulled me, but which direction? I love abstracted landscapes where it’s just shapes, blocks of color, suggestion of a land form, a strong horizon.

But.

But that’s not exactly what my vision is, not what I want my art to speak to.

So I’ve turned to my journal and exprerimented there. This above excites me.

And I’ve been studying the photos that I am compelled to take on a daily basis.

And I’ve been studying the photos I take when I am out hiking. The first image of the wild ponies in the mountain fog was recently taken on a hike up Mount Rogers, Virginia’s highest point, located in the southwest corner of the state. Beautiful and magical hike. The second image is from Ruby Beach, the wild Pacific Northwest coast in Washington that speaks to my soul.

And the fact that when I have a needle in my hand or in front of a sewing machine, I get this feeling of rightness within, even though I really don’t sew. I’m like a kid in a candy store when I’m in a a quality fabric store, but I never buy anything because I’m not a seamstress and I think, if only I had the skills and a project I could work on, I would just cave into my fabric and thread obsession. But for years I am merely a window shopper. That’s probably a good thing.

But I’m paying attention and I’m thinking of these things as I work. I’ll have a couple of things to share soon that I feel speaks to my inner voice. I just need to keep following my compass.

I recently received a message from a woman who observed that it’s interesting to see that I live my art. It is all intertwined for me. But right now, I am sorting the threads out.