“I found I could say things with color and shape that I couldn’t say any other way- things I had no words for.” Georgia O’Keefe
As a watercolor landscape artist I have to agree with Georgia O’Keefe’s observation. It is my belief that our paintings tell the stories of our lives. Color and shape tell of the happy times and not so happy times, just by the subject or tone of the colors we choose. For example, when there was an unhappy period in my life, my paintings were drab and dark. When this season passed my paintings became bright and danced with life.
As artists we are constantly inspired by our surroundings. Just as Georgia O’Keefe painted her inspiration where ever she was. She painted the country surroundings when she was in the Adirondack Mountains, skyscrapers of New York City, and the rugged terrain of deserts in the west. So should we follow her example? My answer is a resounding YES!
Personally, I live in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains where there is almost daily inspiration to record the beautiful mountain scenes. In North Georgia, there is a constant color change, no two days are quite the same.
The rainy days produce a blue-gray mist that covers mountain tops and gives my world a softness. In fall, the colors are brilliant and have many shades, tints and tones. This makes it a pleasure to be out in nature, receiving the inspiration to paint the scenes the Master Artist has given us.
But I also have a tie to South Georgia, and visit my lovely home in Loblolly Cove. Here the inspiration is the flat country side, freshly plowed from the cotton crops and replanted in grain. I also draw inspiration from the farmers, as they rush about with their tractors, combines and plows and til the soil for the next season.
Here, tall pines lead me down the long drive and as I arrive I stand in awe. The wind sweeps the pond and I look for the wildlife that frequently visit here. There are many things that add color in winter in South Georgia, one of these things is the Hooded Merganser that has taken up residence in the shallow end of the pond. With it’s white crest for the male and frosted brown crest for the female, it’s easy to spot as it gracefully swims. Even though it is primarily brown, black and white, it adds color to the winter here.
Just as Georgia O’Keeffe found that she could paint in ways that she could never speak, present day artist still follow in her footsteps. We could never express just how beautiful a lily might be, but we can watch the lily as it grows and blossoms and put our observations on canvas in a way that others are drawn to the lily. In other words, giving them the time to appreciate the beauty of this beautiful flower.
Often we rush about, not taking time to see the beauty around us, but when we as artists express our vision in the color and shape of our world, others take time to appreciate the nature that surrounds us.
Did you notice the new graphic at the top of the blog? I invite you to listen and implement the suggestions for goal setting for 2012.
Ellene
http://ElleneBreedloveDavis.com/paintings
http://Twitter.com/ElleneBDavis
http://www/ElleneBreedloveDavisWatercolorArtist
