La Musique de la Mer et le Ciel

I never got around to posting this - but, because the gallery opening turned out to be so exciting, I want to include it in the series of events.
============

Music of the Sea and Sky  (French title is a nod to Mer who thinks it looks like her and wanted me to title it Meridith ..... She wasn't really serious.  At least I don't think she was.)

Painting is finally matted, cut by Johnny (good job!), backing installed by me, same with brown paper on back. Of course, now I know how to do it better!  Why is it I alway figure out a good system AFTER doing something?   We deliver it downtown to the bank between 11 and 2 Saturday.  

After the premier of the music, all the entries will be put on display for the month of Oct at USC's library .... The paintings the composer selects for awards will be on display for every performance of the work for a year. 

When I sketched out the design for this painting I didn't have a music note in mind.  I didn't want there to be an obvious reference to music.  I pictured a lot of motion, a floating head (ew, that sounds gross) and an arm extended symbolizing release.  But, the more I painted, the more it looked like a strange kind of eighth note.  Johnny thinks I should title it Here, Take This Note.  I think that's pretty funny.

It looks better to me framed,  but I'm still very insecure about this painting.  I did enjoy painting it and am pleased I followed through and am entering!  Just being involved in an event like this is exciting.

Painting In Dulcet Tones

Have finally finished my entry for the Onomatopoetic - Art Inspiring Art: Music Made Visible contest.  All entries have been inspired by "In Dulcet Tones" composed by Dr. Jesse Jones, and will be on display for 3 weeks starting 6PM, September 4 (First Thursdays On Main) at CertusBank, Main Street, Columbia SC at which time awards will be announced.  "In Dulcet Tones" will have it's national premier September 28 at 3:30 in the USC Recital Hall.  (16 x 20) This is my first attempt to use a watermark in case you're wondering why I decided to paint sMatchett across the top!

Orchestrating A Painting

I saved this quote from Richard McKinley's blog a while back and just rediscovered it again today so want to share it:  Orchestrating a Painting - Arranging the elements and principles of design are like conducting an orchestra.  One relies on sound and the other sight but they both rely on orchestration.  At times you must silence one section of a painting and make another louder, just as a conductor does when leading an orchestra.  Howe we utilize the elements and principles of design ultimately leads to ovations or jeers.

Remembering Sarah Najjar

Sarah Najjar died today after a 4 year battle with cancer.  She leaves behind her husband, Mark, 2 young children, a large extended and devoted family, and, I'm sure, more people than she every could have imagined who are greatly saddened by her passing.  

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would one day take up painting.  Other than being able to color inside the lines, I was never was good at art in school.  My creative side was expressed through singing.  I've been painting for 18 months now.  My first painting was a 5 x 7 of a pear, grapes and a banana.  When I realized it actually looked like a pear, grapes and a banana, I was hooked.  I loved the painting process - the flow of watercolors fascinates me. ... the drawing process, not so much, but I'm beginning to trust myself more and more and even that is coming along.

From the beginning I was positive that I would never be able, nor did I even aspire, to paint portraits or scenes with people in them. However, this is what I seem to be drawn to, and the play on words is appropriate.  When I saw the photograph taken of Sarah in May of this year, wearing her beautiful hat and smiling with such joy and abandon, I knew I wanted to try to paint her like that.

I never got to meet Sarah in person.  My daughters Meridith and Emily met her when they traveled to IN for their father's memorial service.  Sarah was there with her husband, Mark.  Mark and his brother David have known Mer and Em since birth having shared crib time, bath times, and play times, and then school days until our family moved from IN to FL in '83.  I got to know Sarah through Mer and Em, and through her picture as I painted.

I've since painted another portrait or two and done some paintings with people in them.  If I didn't know the subjects personally, I felt I did when I was ready to sign my name to the painting.  As I've painted I've wondered how the breeze felt on their skin, was it blowing their hair or hat?  Was the sun was warm, the rainy day cold? What they were thinking, what they were feeling?  Did they feel grateful, safe, protected, preoccupied, vulnerable? Were they aware of their surroundings or just there?   .... And,  in Sarah's case, did she fell as beautiful as she looked in her Kentucky horse racing hat and her pink feather boa?  I so hoped that she felt beautiful and free, and I so wanted to capture that feeling with my paints.

When I put technique aside and concentrate on connecting emotionally with the person I'm painting, whether it's a portrait or I'm placing them into a scene,  and whether I know them personally or only through the painting, I'm aware that painting them is an intimate thing to do.  This intimacy provides a lovely opportunity to experience compassion,  not just for one real or imagined person, but for what that image, captured by paint and water flowing from a brush onto paper, represents .... a part of the process that is life.

Here's to Sarah's life, her beauty inside and out, and her freedom.

Poodles and Painting

It's amazing how fast I can move when I look up to see our Standard Poodle, Millie,  throwing up on our bed.  Great cardio exercise.  Got my blood pumping good.

Nothing like changing a bed to get me motivated to find a way to avoid more housework.  After all, I AM still healing and feeling tired ..... so I picked up my paint brushes and got a good (I hope) first wash down on my 16 x 20 project for the Onomatopoetic competition at the end of this month.  It's been interesting trying to come up with and idea for a painting after listening to the composer's composition, In Dulcet Tones, which is a very contemporary piece for violin and piano.   There is a great deal of motion in it, agitation, playfulness, quiet passages, a sweet aria like melody,  a melodramatic part ....  I'm trying to paint texture, movement, grace and freedom.  Tall order!

Here's a link to the flyer for the competition.
OnomatoPoetic

Seeing Is Believing

I think it's ironic that the first post on my watercolor blog is being done with one of my painterly eyes mostly closed due to the eye surgery I had done on Tuesday of this week.  I had hoped to paint a bit today but decided it was time to finally get around to setting up a blog so that folks who are not Facebook fanciers will have place to follow my artistic journey.  If you add your email address to the link showing on the right side of this page, you'll automatically receive email updates any time I post to this blog.

At the moment, I'm not feeling very artistic because my eye is still irritated from my surgery, but the irritation does bring to mind a phrase I repeat to myself over and over while I paint: paint what you SEE, not what you THINK you see.  I'm also learning to paint what I WANT to see, and that's often even more rewarding when it comes to signing my name to a painting.