The Winds of Night Come Shoreward Roaming

“The Winds of Night Come Shoreward Roaming”   Pastel   9” x 12”   $100    © Sharon Lewis
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A colleague reminded me the other day, “April is the cruelest month” and he wasn’t referring to the weather. This is the time of year at most universities and colleges where students and faculty are stressed with too much to do and not enough time to do it. No one is at their best at this time of year.

And so, for all of my harried, stressed out colleagues and students, I give you this quiet, peaceful cove where you see the sun setting over the mountains, hear the sounds of gulls, and feel the winds of night.

Happy Weekend!
P.S. The title of this painting comes from the poem, "Sea Sunset" by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Northern Shores

“Northern Shores”        Pastel            9” x 12”             $100          © Sharon Lewis
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            When we arrived it was rainy and cold…more like fall than mid-summer. And then the rain stopped and we were treated to a beautiful sunset that set this quiet cove on fire. It was a beautiful ending to our day exploring the country north of our “North Country”.

            Happy Weekend!

What Happens When You Head North From Maine?

“Tidal River”     8” x 10”     Pastel     $75     ©Sharon Lewis
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            Well, you might believe that you fall into the ocean if you grew up with those oddly inaccurate maps that show everything ending at the border of the United States. However, northeast of the state of Maine is the Canadian province of New Brunswick. It has two official languages, English and French and the Bay of Fundy in the south, which is cool because it has some of the highest tides in the world (52 feet).
            Today’s painting is based on photos of marshes I took when we visited here one summer. I painted this last week when I felt a real need for color and warmth. I hope wherever you are, that spring has come at last.
Happy Weekend!

What’s the Value of Art? Transformation!

“Quiet Contemplation”   9” x 12”   Pastel   $100   © Sharon Lewis

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            Art is transformative in so many ways. It’s transformative for both the artist as well as the viewer. It can bring something out of you that you never believed was possible. It can open your eyes to hidden beauty or truth. It can make you view something ordinary as something extraordinary.

            Art can also transform your reality. My reality today was that I was going to work all day and then go for my usual long run. I was kind of dreading the run today. I kept hearing weather reports on how the temperature was going to drop 20 degrees during the time of my run with 40 mile per hour wind gusts…. not exactly something to look forward to. In fact, I was getting cold just thinking about this. So, I chose to focus on the painting I have posted today and felt warmer every time I looked at it.

            It is based on one of my photos of a sunny, much warmer day. We were near an interesting place called Cape Enrage (Isn’t that a great name for a place?), in New Brunswick, Canada.  At first it looked like the marsh here was totally deserted but as we stood there, I noticed a little movement out of the corner of my eye and suddenly there was a large heron standing there. He or she seemed to be poised like we were…in quiet contemplation of a beautiful view.

          So this is where I have been today…in a manner of speaking. I hope this work of art transforms your reality just a bit, as it did mine and that maybe, you stay just a little warmer.