Fleeting

“Fleeting”     4 x 6     Oil    $70    © Sharon Lewis

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             This past week I was able to get away to the beach and had a wonderful time walking and running on the beach as well as trying to capture the beautiful sky and sea.  It was a beautiful respite from the news.

            Happy Weekend!

 

Warm Colors in the Cold

 “Warm Colors in the Cold”      4 x 6     Oil    $70    © Sharon Lewis

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             I’ve been thinking a lot about good teachers lately. I’ve been lucky to have had good teachers in both my Psychology and my art careers. The teachers that stand out in my art career as being exceptional have been of course, excellent artists themselves but they have also been kind, especially when giving critical feedback (criticism is so important when you’re starting out but it can also be demoralizing). They’ve also been: generous (with both helpful information and praise), patient (as you continue to make that same mistake that they pointed out last time), good problem solvers (as they help you out of the mess you may have created), and passionate about art. I think of Karen Margulis when it comes to teaching pastel painting. She is one of the most dedicated and talented artist-teachers I know. I also think of Karen Appleton who no longer teaches oil painting but is an exceptional artist. I love her creativity, her kindness, and her compassion. I learned so much from these outstanding artists.  

The painting above is based on a modification of a still life that Karen Appleton set up for a class several years ago. 

Happy Weekend!

 

Tranquility

“Tranquility”      4” x 6”         Pastel        $70      © Sharon Lewis

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            There’s something about waterfalls that both fascinates me and calms me as well. I find staring at the falling water somehow slows my breathing and I feel a sense of tranquility.

           For many of us, this week has been anything but tranquil. We now have a new president, with changes that have angered and/or scared my students, colleagues, friends, and family. I offer this, as hope that in the midst of change both in our weather and in our political climate, it might offer you some tranquility.

            Happy Weekend!

 

On a Summer Day

“On a Summer Day”        4” x 6”        Pastel       $96       © Sharon Lewis

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            It’s that time of year when I can finally slow down a bit and catch my breath.  I can take the time to listen to the sweet sound of birds calling to one another through the trees, the funny sounds of squirrels scolding  one another, or the stream traveling over the worn rocks below. I can see all the different lush greens of summer in the trees contrasting with the red cardinals or the blue of the titmouse, or the orangish-red of the finches. All of this makes for a wonderful summer day.

            Happy Weekend!

 

Over the Hill

  “Over the Hill”           4” x 6”        Pastel       $96       © Sharon Lewis

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This is another painting I did while at the beach last month. I’ve been painting a little with acrylics, a medium I haven’t used in a while and have been having so much fun as well as being a little frustrated. Each medium I’ve used has some wonderful aspects to it and some challenging aspects. I love how with so few tubes of acrylic paint, I can make a large variety of colors but it’s challenging to figure out which brush and what kind of brush stroke would best convey the image I want to create. However, I feel so fortunate to be able to do this kind of fun, challenging work!

Happy Weekend!

 

Last One In Is A Rotten Egg!

        “Last One In Is a Rotten Egg!”        4” x 6”      Pastel       $40      © Sharon Lewis

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             I still haven’t let go of summer yet….nor wishing the days were longer and sunnier, the water warmer, and it was time to go back to the beach.

            Happy Weekend!

Let’s Head for the Beach!

“ Windswept”         4” x 6”       Pastel        $35        © Sharon Lewis
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            Today is a beautiful day in the Atlanta area! We are experiencing our usual weird weather this time of year. Last week we had snow and ice, and this week we’ve had fog, mist and temperatures in the 70’s! Today is a little cooler (50’s) but nothing like the cold that friends and family up north are experiencing.

            On a happy note, I have noticed daffodils pushing up their yellow heads, a welcome cheery sight in an otherwise, brown and gray landscape. Speaking of cheery sights, I’m so in the mood for the beach! I want a view of warm, peach sand and cool blue water, so today, I’m posting a painting of a beach. This painting is of a beach from Tofino, which is on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.  It’s a beautiful place to walk and observe all sorts of amazingly colorful starfish and other assorted wildlife. Tofino has relatively warm winters and cool summers… just the kind of place I love to visit. However, although I found their cool summer temperatures a welcome respite from the heat of north Georgia in July, I believe I wore several layers of clothing every time I walked this beach.

So, as an artist, I changed the view to hopefully convey warmth and sunshine with an ocean breeze.

            May your weekend be filled with warmth and sun!

Rocky Beauty : A Reminder of Sun and Warmth

“Rocky Beauty”   4” x 6”    Pastel    $35    © Sharon Lewis
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            We have been enjoying a few days of sunshine in the Atlanta region and the rain and clouds are moving in once again, just in time for the weekend. Excellent timing on the part of Mother Nature!

            Fortunately for me, I have a ready supply of sun and warmth in the form of paintings. This one is of the northern Oregon coast, which along with the northern California coast, provided us with gorgeous views of ocean and impressive rocks. I can look at this painting and remember the tang of the salt air, the gulls flying overhead, and the breezy, sunny day. Happy Weekend!

It Was All Mist and Fog This Morning

“Misty Shore”   4” x 6”   Pastel   $35   © Sharon Lewis
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         After days of rain, I woke up to fog and mist….very spooky and mysterious looking. I think fog and mist can also be beautiful in a way and I’ve posted a painting today that I think is an example of this. We were hiking along the northern California coast one blustery, cool, summer day. From my vantage point on top of a cliff, I could see fog gradually enveloping these rocks and woods, giving them an almost ethereal beauty.

The Appeal of Sailboats

“Sailing at Sunset”   4” x 6”    Pastel    $35    © Sharon Lewis
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            What is it about sailboats that make them so appealing to people? Maybe it’s because you can travel on the water without the loud sound of an engine or the smell of diesel fuel?  Maybe also since many of us live and work in or near cities, our lives are full of engines and smog and pollution and you can operate a sailboat without any of these.

            Does sailing take us back to a simpler time? Maybe, though it’s not easy to sail well and I am a great example of that.  I’m so often entranced by the views that I forget to pay attention to the direction of the wind. Maybe it’s a type of boating that really tests your skills because really, even a middle school kid can operate a motorboat (not saying they should), right?

            However, even to people that don’t sail, I think sailboats and paintings of them are symbolic…perhaps of escape? Of romanticized adventures on the high seas? What do you think?

            Whatever your opinion on this, although I grew up with mostly motorized fishing boats, I love seeing and painting sailboats. I love the colors and shapes of them as they glide across the water.

            I picked this painting to post today because in spite of the cool looking water, the sky is sunny, warm, and cheerful… a welcome sight on this misty, cold, and dreary day in Georgia. Today’s painting is based on photographs I took of sailboats off the west coast of Washington. After all of the rest of the sailboats were gone there was one sailor out on the water enjoying the last rays of the setting sun. Happy Weekend!

After a rainy night in Georgia

After the Storm    4” x 6”    Pastel    $35   © Sharon Lewis
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The sun has finally come out after a rainy night in Georgia. I couldn’t help but think this morning when it was still raining, of the refrain in the song I associate with Ray Charles, “Rainy Night in Georgia”….

“A rainy night in Georgia,

A rainy night in Georgia,
It seems like it's rainin' all over the world
I feel like it's rainin' all over the world “

What a great bluesy song! If you read all of the lyrics you’ll notice that the songwriter, Tony Joe White, paints a series of pictures with his words, much as artists do with paint.  And if you listen to Ray Charles singing this song as I am now, he adds his own lyrics making the picture he paints his very own (listen here).

Today’s painting is loosely based on one of my photos and seems to express how I feel about today’s weather. The wind is blowing the dark storm clouds far away leaving us with glimpses of a brilliant sun-lit sky. A good way to think about leaving the work-week behind us with a great weekend ahead. Happy Weekend!