Ashley River Redact. . .

Ashley River Redact  .  8" x 10"  .  oil on panel

 

I don't think I'm alone in feeling that the beginning of 2014 has been somewhat on the slow side.  Might you feel the same way?  The weather, for one, has been just so cold where it's normally not THAT cold, and to say it curtails life and living as one knows it is a gross understatement.  On the up side, the extreme cold temperatures seem to provide more time to visit good books, tuck in early for an evening, sit in front of a fire (if you're lucky), watch old movies, see new ones, and paint the VERY familiar. . .AGAIN! 

 

The result of once again visiting the Ashley River is featured above with the new twist being the heavy use of a palette knife in the landscape portion.  I'm making friends with the palette knife this year and I enjoy it because of what I call "happy accidents" when making a stroke.  What it hides, what it suggests, what it reveals calls to mind my watercolor days when you would float colors together and marvel at their interesting, often surprising evolution as they dried, always hoping for the best.  

 

To be honest, this painting started out as a North Carolina mountain scene, but I changed mid-stream because my heart wasn't in it.  Working in such a heartfelt way doesn't produce panic or stress - well, maybe for a nano-second.  Being "in tune" to your muse, your inner voice, actually can end up bringing the most satisfaction to your work, to the end result.  So, I listen carefully and don't question. 

 

I'm most grateful for a new opportunity on the portrait side of my art, and hopefully will be able to share it with you here in a few months.  I'm submitting pieces to a couple of local shows coming up, and will look forward to warmer weather (just dreamin'!) that most always brings new inspiration right along with it.  I've just finished a quick, small (8" x 8") painting of the dairy cows I was introduced to this past summer living at the end of Pine Swamp Road over in the Deep Gap area of North Carolina.  Thank you Anne and Steve for the introduction!  This pair were particularly winsome in their careful inspection of ME!  It's titled The Dairy Cow Peek.