Ebb and Flow

                                                                                            




                                                                        It's been quite a few weeks since my last entry.  I've come to realize that my painting, as well as my life, ebbs and flows like the tide and I must accept what that means for me .  After returning from Maine and having the gala opening, I came back feeling lost and void of energy.  With no work at home, I needed to begin again.  Hence the feeling of emptiness and wanting to get excited again about returning to the easel.  I hate it but I'm starting to recognize that angst and accepting that with time, silence, and just letting go of expectations, that the gestation period before a birth of something new will come forward.  In the meantime, our local art league--http://www.artleague.org/Exhibit-Openings/2010/July2010-FigureShow/index1.htm had a show called Figuratively Speaking.  I entered two pieces and a student of mine, Janis Murray, entered three of hers.  As you can see from the newsletter, we both were very happy with the results.  Recognition for my work helped to lift my spirits but I still didn't have a desire to pick up the brush.
     When I'm empty, I read.  Years ago my son gave me a small book entitled Gift from the Sea by Ann Morrow Lindbergh.  I dug it out and began to read it for the second or third time.  She wrote it about 55 years ago when she stayed one month down on Captiva Island just west of Ft. Meyers.  Ann's insightfulness as a woman and the stages of life touched me on many levels.  Road trip!!!! Walking the beach where she walked and collecting the shells that gave her inspiration for the book gave me an idea.  My shell collection is enormous but I have only painted a couple as part of a large still life.  Why not paint shells in an environment.  Just shells.   So for the last two weeks I have worked on this one that is huge for me--36 inx48 in.  Nothing like jumping into it with both feet.  If you don't know about A. Lindbergh and her life,  there is a website about this amazing woman and Captiva Island.  Check it out at http://www.charleslindbergh.com/press/21Sept05.asphttp://www.charleslindbergh.com/press/21Sept05.asp

New eBay Painting

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        Yesterday was open studio and we painted most of the day.  Rainy and muggy outside, it was a good day to stay indoors.  I finished the lemon wedge on Thursday but just now had time to post it.  This lemon comes from my Meyer lemon tree which is prolific this year.
      As an artist, I believe that it's important to always try to push your skills to new levels.  Since the opening, I have been searching for a new direction.  I think maybe visiting the New England area, like Old Lyme, Conneticut, opened my eyes to the beautiful paintings of the American Impressionists like, Charles Hawthorne and Henry Hensche.  I learned recently that Monet started out as a tonalists.  His painting of Rue de la Vavolle, Honfleur, was an early attempt to paint on location.  As you can see, the shadows are brown with little variation.  Once he opened his eyes to color, detail became must less important.  I'm drawn to the beautiful colors of light outdoors but it is difficult to leave my comfort zone of indoor painting.