Light and Shadow

 I have painted many times at Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary, but this particular January morning I saw a beautiful play of sparkling light and contrasting shadow effects that would only last for 30 minutes or so. This panel is small, but in under an hour, I captured the sparkling effect of the morning and the character of the bluff.

Painting is a lot like golf. A good passage here, a good composition there--keeps you coming back. If I knew now how much time, effort and tears it would take to get to this painting, would I do it again? Oh, probably...YES!

Pines

Here is a lovely poem by friend and Isanti-ite, Sharon K. Sheppard. You will see my paintings and her poems paired again soon. She has inspired my interest in poets Mary Oliver and James Wright. And without further ado, here is why I paint pine trees in winter.

Pines

Have you noticed
How the tall pines
Cast their long blue veils
Over the pale snow, lying like
Streamers of shadow as
Still, deep, and unbroken
As a mountain lake,
But non-reflective?

It is as though
Reclining,
Bare and bereft
In the chill morning air,
they cannot afford the loss
Of even one tiny
Candle's worth
Of light.

Copyright   Sharon K. Sheppard

Yellow Boat

First of all, I loved paddling in the yellow boat on Lake Superior and was caught in the act of admiring the brilliant pure Cad Orange colored lichen colonies living on this outcropping. And secondly, I found equal pleasure in painting the same subject. Simplifying the rock structure and recreating the undulating blue waters of the large inland sea with color variations and little hook shapes in perspective all the while remembering the sun on my face and the movement of the boat as I looked up in amazement at this colorful cliff called Gold Point which is located a 1/2 mile north of Split Rock Lighthouse. This is my largest epic painting to date at 24"X30". Making marks to represent moving water is intoxicating...

Note to Self

One cannot have enough pairs of boots or pictures of boots for that matter.

Note to self: take note of the rich color in cast shadows. This one was a lovely dark purply lavender color cast on the painted green floor.

Holy Night at the Chicken Coop

Thought a Christmas post should include Holy Night at the Chicken Coop. This was painted 3 years ago on Christmas Eve by the farm porch light. Inside the little building was RooSir and his mate Girly. The wires overhead were encrusted with ice and made a nice reflection within the sphere of the yard light. The yellow lights in the distance were not the Wisemen approaching on tractors, but a hog operation.

I have always been intrigued with night paintings. Darkness solves unity problems and allows for a single brush stroke to define detail and lend complexity.

I have been thinking that this title should turn into a story about what the chickens inside are discussing on Christmas Eve. (Has proven to be a fun lunch topic with Reverand Mother already). I would love an opportunity to paint such outlandish chicken characters as demonstrated by touring the State Fair Poultry Exhibit. (Wish I had the photo of GitcheeGumeeGuy with rooster from a State Fair outing to insert here). Watch for future posts of chicken sketches and story material that is part of the 2010 goals to complete.

Merry Christmas to you and yours.

A Blessing by James Wright

Just off the highway to Rochester, Minnesota,
Twilight bounds softly forth on the grass,
And the eyes of those two Indian ponies
Darken with kindness.
They have come gladly out of the willows
To welcome my friend and me.
We step over the barbed wire into the pasture
Where they have been grazing all day, alone.
They ripple tensely, they can hardly contain their happiness
That we have come.
They bow shyly as wet swans. They love each other.
There is no loneliness like theirs.
At home once more,
They begin munching the young tufts of spring in the darkness.
I would like to hold the slender one in my arms,
For she has walked over to me
And nuzzled my left hand.
She is black and white,
Her mane falls wild on her forehead,
And the light breeze moves me to caress her long ear
That is delicate as the skin over a girl's wrist.
Suddenly I realize
That if I stepped out of my body I would break
Into blossom.

Hidden Falls

Hidden Falls is a favorite place to access the Mississippi River. You can drive in, park, and be "on the river" in minutes. I painted this on a warm November morning (note: tiny people & dogs suggested on the right bank) and kayaked in the late afternoon. I got carried away by the sheer beauty of the parkland on both sides, so got to experience this 1/2 mile stretch paddling upstream in the dark. Amazing to have this wild place 2 miles from my house!