The Answer is Blowing in the Wind

So, the answer is blowing in the wind. Don’t you think? Well, whether you agree or disagree, gentle reader, I will share more shortly!

But first, in case you’re new, here’s more information. This is a place where, each week, I share my paintings, process, art history, and inspiration. Whether this is your first or millionth visit here, hiya, hello and a warm welcome! I choose a theme to guide my paintings each year.

This year’s theme is Vessels, Views and Vistas. If you need more color in your world, consider subscribing to this weekly blog. When you do, you will also receive a monthly newsletter called “Art In Real Life.” In it, I share news about artwork and art walks. Some I have seen IRL (in real life). Others are from around the world, maybe even near you!? If so, maybe you’ll go see and share what it’s like to see art in real life. Let’s get to this week’s view. OK?

The Windy Set Up

Here’s the set up for this week’s painting. It’s a view from my favorite get away place; Topsail Island. For years, we have wandered down the road (about 3 1/2 hours) from Raleigh to our favorite ‘shabby sheik,’ pet-friendly motel-minium aka Sea Vista Motel. Heads up! This is not a fancy place. It is, however, oceanfront, reasonably affordable and (bonus!!), you can book less than a week and at other than a Saturday to Saturday or Sunday to Sunday timeframes.

Why does this matter? Well, it only matters if you’re one of those people who likes the beach but maybe gets tired of it after three of four days (gasp!). And/or you’re one of those people who hates sitting in the weekend traffic as cars line up bumper to bumper to go to the beach in the summer. Sea Vista Motel offers alternatives to these problems plus an oceanfront view.

And, the decks that are a part of each room are covered and offer a perfect place to paint the sea, the sky, the beach and all things of the ocean. Check it out here:

See?

The Inspiration

Not sure about you, but I’ve made a concerted effort lately to limit listening to the news to about once a week. The rest of the time, I have been listening to art history podcasts and music too. So, as I am learning about art history’s finest, I am managing what I can control and my blood pressure too. And, even though I started this week’s painting last July while we were at the beach, I didn’t finish it till this week.

The idea of going to the beach represents so many feelings and ideas to me. And, that’s probably why I get nostalgic about the beach. When? Okay, I’ll admit it, all the time. Somehow the world is a better place at the beach. And all the people and pets I miss and love are right there with me in the wind and the salty air of the beach.

My art history inspiration and aspiration this week is Berthe Morisot. I say aspiration because I aspire to paint with brush strokes as vibrantly, confidently and quickly as she did in her amazing 242 paintings she painted in her too short lifetime. Here’s one of my favorites of hers. It’s called The Garden at Bogival and she painted it in 1884.

I can feel the light in this painting. And, there’s ‘air’ here too. Ahhhh!

Musical Inspiration

You probably know the musical inspiration for this week’s paintings. This song is as timeless as the ocean in it’s message and meaning. Here it is:

I confess that I listen to the words of this song and sigh. And, then I paint!

This Week’s Painting

As I think of the ocean, one of my favorite views of it, my mind is happily transformed. And, I took a chance with the frothy, foamy wave that’s caught up in the wind. How? Hello inspiration from last week’s blog post Art History guru, Fairfield Porter. This week’s windy wave is smack dab in the middle of the painting. This is technically a composition faux pas. But there are a few more treats to entice your eyes beyond the middle of the painting. Such as? Well, there are some chunky clouds in the sky and some grassy texture in the foreground. So I hope your eyes enjoy the chance to wander around a bit.

I love how this painting turned out! It’s 6×12 inches, painted in oils and a part of a series! None of these sa-weet paintings will be for sale till the series is complete later this spring. So, I hope you enjoy looking here in the meantime. And, I will be sharing exciting news about upcoming shows where these paintings will be for sale in the next newsletter, entitled ARTIRL (ART In Real Life) scheduled for April 1. Sign up here to get all the details about these upcoming shows!

How About You

So, how about you, gentle reader? Where is your favorite get away place? Do you prefer the mountains over the sandy beach? Or maybe forest bathing is more in line with your preferences? Either way, I would love to hear from you. Please share in the comments below and thank you for reading here today!