Sun-lit

"Sun-lit"                  Pastel                                                                              5" x 7"         $50       © Sharon Lewis
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Every once and a while when you’re painting outside, you get really lucky and for a very brief moment, the sun lights up the clouds and they just glow with beautiful colors. I painted this as quickly as I could during one of those lucky moments.

Hope you see some beautiful colors this holiday weekend!

Waves

"Waves"                     Pastel                 5" x 7"                   $50                       © Sharon Lewis
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    I've been trying to capture waves painting plein air which isn't easy. I have a new appreciation for the different forms that waves take. Today's attempt was painted from the edge of a cliff trying to keep my easel (weighted down by rocks) from blowing over in the strong wind. I love painting the ocean!

         

Translucence

“Translucence”            Pastel                9” x 12”              $100             © Sharon Lewis
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            I’m back from an amazing international art conference in Albuquerque (IAPS). For 5 wonderful days, I was surrounded by hundreds of very talented, generous, and fun artists. I was in heaven! I took classes with artists, Doug Dawson, Alan Flattman, Nancie King Mertz, and Kathleen Newman. I learned something new from each one. I was also fortunate to be able to take a workshop from the very talented artist and excellent teacher, Jeanne Rosier Smith. Jeanne imbues her paintings of waves with drama, light, and color. They’re absolutely beautiful! Her workshop was full of useful tips and I’m impressed with how kind and patient she was with everyone in our workshop. The painting above is the one I painted in her workshop.

Restless as a Young Heart

“Reckless as a Young Heart”      Pastel      5” x 7”     $50     © Sharon Lewis
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            I’ve been painting waves in anticipation of my upcoming workshop and it’s been so interesting to study all the variations in light and color that you can see in water as it rises in waves. I’ve also re-discovered some amazing poetry about the sea which is where I turn when I can’t think of an interesting title. This particular title comes from a wonderful poem by Carl Sandburg.  He wrote: “The sea is never still. It pounds on the shore, restless as a young heart, hunting.” See “Young Sea” for the full version of the poem.

Song of Summer

“Song of Summer”           Oil            9” x 12”        $130         © Sharon Lewis
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To me the song of summer is not just the sounds of the birds singing outside my window, (though I love that sound) it is the sounds I don’t hear…like alarms going off to wake me up, the angry horns on traffic-congested roads, or anxious voices looking for solace or reassurance. I’m so looking forward to the time to savor the simplicity of a beautiful sky, majestic mountains, and cold, clear blue water.

Hoping you hear the song of summer soon.