“Painting is just another way of keeping a diary” – Pablo Picasso
I just shipped these three 8×10 inch paintings down to RH Ballard Gallery in Washington, VA. I had them hanging up in my studio these past few weeks and I noticed how each one represented the main places I have lived in my adult life. The top one is a scene from the Pacific Northwest, Washington state to be exact. The middle one is a scene from somewhere in Illinois. And the bottom one is from Maryland by the Chesapeake Bay.
I love texture in my work and I’m always happy when I’m able to transmit that with oils. I like the evidence of the human hand and the making of a painting, if that makes sense. This piece I used a palette knife mainly, but finished with a brush. The photo I based this painting on was from a drive outside of Chicago heading to the western part of the state. It was early fall and the fields were golden. I have a thing for golden fields, apparently. I want to paint them all the time.
I have done several paintings based on this day spent doing oyster reef restoration with my daughter and her troop over on the eastern shore of Maryland on the Chesapeake. I also have a thing for big spaces filled with wild grass. That day was cloudy and windy and there was a moodiness to the landscape/waterscape that I just loved and can’t seem to get away from. I’m sure I’ll paint at least one more painting based on this day spent on the Chesapeake.
I am upset with myself because I did not get a great photo of this before I packed it to ship out. Note to self: process photos before packing and shipping. I super love this painting. Not sure if it’s because of the place I painted (one of my most favorite places to be) or because I really enjoyed the process of painting it. Maybe a combo of both. I really loved painting that big tree on the left edge of the canvas. It makes me happy. It still seems magical to me that different shaped blobs of green placed next to each other can form a tree.
If you happen to be in Washington, VA, be sure to stop in and visit RH Ballard gift shop and gallery. Robert and Joanie are the nicest people and they carry such beautiful products and art.