We are about to leave for Boston to attend my brilliant niece Mackenzie`s graduation from BU. She worked hard for this and I am proud of her achievement and her grit. I had one year of community college and remember thinking OMG! This is hard!
Because I won`t be painting for awhile, that`s all I want to do instead of pack. So this watercolor, inspired by a January walk along the Tualatin River, came spilling out last night. Of course it is not what I wanted, those bare trees writhe with detail and the light was sparkling that day, but this is an accurate painting of my mood, which is reflective. Rites of passage, diapers to diplomas. I love being an uncle.
Now I`m going to rant. Not politics, worse!, 'happy' rainbow paintings like this:
For some reason, seeing uniformly saturated colors of the rainbow enrages me! It really does. It`s such an assault I`m sure my blood pressure rises. It is so cheap to use such garish hues! I`m sure the artist is a very nice man but I want to slap him.
Here is a proper use of the rainbow;
This is by Amie Legette. She and her partner Will Bruno shared a studio at Sitka when I was also a resident last year. The showed me what they were up to before I left. The studio was a laboratory of ideas and experiments! It was very stimulating to hear what motivated them and why they chose the motifs that they did.
Isn`t this wonderful? It`s by Eilif Peterssen, a Norwegian. That`s the kind of summer I want. Quiet with no sun crazed water skiers. As the weather heats up I keep thinking Alaska.
Michelle Obama addressed the graduating class at the all black Tuskegee University last week. Her remarks were moving and personal and very timely.
A mother should never have to choose between a child and an education!
I`m excited about this! I`m going to be painting with new friends in beautiful locations. Should anyone want to watch, the public is invited. Should anyone want to watch me, give me a call 503 380 4731.
work for sale in my studio
5 comments:
I'm originally from Massachusetts, and Boston is the best city in the world. Wish I was joining you. And yes, I want to gag at that painting too. But the one by Eilif (did I spell that correctly?) makes me swoon with pleasure. Have a wonderful trip!
Randall,
A wonderful reaction from that professor. Probably very natural for him too.
I like Aime's work a lot. Atmosphere with presence.
I don't know what to say about the thoughtless abuse of the use of color. At least it looks fairly thoughtless-indiscriminate maybe is what I mean. People seem to be drawn to it (that type of work) so I guess from a commercial standpoint it could be an obvious and simple route.
(PS-I feel the same way about drawings of girls with big eyes and long necks...)
Have a good time in Boston. Soak it all up:)
Libby
LOL! No more "happy" paintings! I agree with your repugnance to the saturation and density, but I am just learning to use "unreal" colors (blue rocks! teal leaves!) to break the hold reality has on me, so I'm afraid my paintings chuckle, at the very least...
Enjoy Boston - it's a great city. Try not to drive anywhere, though.
Love it that you spotlighted here the lecturer who invites student to bring babies to class, and who handles outbursts by holding them as he teaches - what a great role model he offers!
Hugs,
Lissa
Winter River Study is perfect in my eyes....don't change it! Have a great trip!
Couldn't agree with you more on the "rainbow effect of colors" used by some artist. I can't see the forest thru the trees.
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