Signs of Spring

“Somebunny Loves You”    Pastel    8x8      $70 ©Sharon Lewis

      I'm reposting one of my favorite paintings today because I'm at my daughter's house eagerly awaiting the birth of her second child, my third granddaughter. Keep your fingers crossed that all goes well.

      Happy Weekend!

 

Rough Waters

 

“Rough Waters”      8” x 10”         Pastel        $160       © Sharon Lewis

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             My art often reflects what’s going on in my life but it often does this in funny ways. I had been thinking about the Emily Dickenson poem, ““Hope” is the thing with feathers” and was looking for reference photos for a bird. I saw these ducks that I had photographed last year in DC, and while my photos show relatively calm waters, what I’ve painted looks like ducks paddling hard against a current or in rough waters. I think this is what my friends, colleagues and students are feeling as well right now. Maybe you are too. It can sometimes feel like our hours are long, meetings are frequent, and the work is never finished. But there are also small moments of joy and laughter mixed in – a young colleague is excited about a new career opportunity, another is excited about finding a new pug Christmas decoration (and has us laughing at the possibilities), and a student shares her decision to be brave and choose a creative final project because she wants to be proud of herself. So, on this day filled with sunshine, I am grateful for these moments and for my wonderful colleagues, students, and friends. 

            Happy Weekend!

Happy Easter!

“Somebunny Loves You”   8” x 8”        Pastel       $70        © Sharon Lewis

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             Spring has definitely arrived in the Atlanta area and everywhere I look, there are flowering shrubs and trees and lots of little bunnies. I know that many people suffer from allergies this time of year and I have to say I’m not immune. However, in spite of some allergy symptoms, I can’t help but be grateful for the longer days of light filled with the colors and fragrance of spring. This time of year, I’m surrounded by reminders to celebrate the new life all around us and that new beginnings are always possible.

            Happy Weekend and to all my friends and family who celebrate Easter, Happy Easter!

 

Do These Feathers Make Me Look Fat II?

“Do These Feathers Make Me Look Fat II?”   6” x 6”     Pastel    $50    © Sharon Lewis

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            This is the second version of a painting I did several years ago. Right outside the window of my home office/studio is a tall bush that’s serves as a staging platform for birds visiting the feeder attached to my window. It’s easy to spot the male goldfinches this time of year, for they’re arrayed in their bright yellow plumage. These are small, usually very slender birds who on very cold days, puff up their feathers so much that they look like many of us after too much holiday eating.

            Happy Weekend!

Sightseers

“Sightseers”          8” x 10”          Pastel         $75         © Sharon Lewis

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            I was recently in Chicago for a conference and took a break from meetings to walk along Lake Michigan, along with hundreds of others out enjoying the sights and beautiful weather.  I couldn’t help but notice these geese, most of whom were swimming leisurely along the shore, seemingly also doing a little sightseeing, watching all the people, dogs, and children go by….except for the small one in the distance who seemed to be complaining that the rest were swimming way too slowly and she was hungry.

            Happy Weekend!

Somebunny Loves You

    “Somebunny Loves You”           8” x 8”        Pastel         $70        © Sharon Lewis

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            I love this time of year when signs of new life are all around us. I can see hawks in my backyard busily feeding their young high up in a tree while flowering bushes and trees are everywhere I look in my neighborhood. Other birds are busily singing their spring songs which makes for wonderfully cheerful background music as I spend hours grading papers and writing letters of recommendation. Lately, when I walk or run late in the afternoon, I occasionally surprise a small bunny like this one which I can’t help but associate with Easter, though admittedly I’m more likely to think of the chocolate version and not the very adorable live version.

            To all my friends who celebrate Passover, Happy Passover! To family and friends who celebrate Easter, Happy Easter!

Just Passing Through

“Just Passing Through”    8” x 10”       Pastel         $75     © Sharon Lewis

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             I love catching sight of a beautiful Great Egret. They glide so quietly through waterways like these marshes, on their long slender legs, heads bobbing with their pointy, dagger-like bill searching so very patiently for food.

            Happy Weekend!

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

“Family Gathering”         6” x 6”        Pastel         © Sharon Lewis

Sending every good wish to my friends and family for a Thanksgiving full of peace, joy, and love. I am so thankful for your presence in my life!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

“Family Gathering”         6” x 6”        Pastel         © Sharon Lewis

I hope that wherever you are this Thanksgiving, that you are gathered with love to celebrate this holiday of gratitude.

Happy Thanksgiving!

“Family Gathering”         6” x 6”        Pastel         $40         © Sharon Lewis

            This past, challenging year I have been reminded of how immensely important my family and friends are to my life.  So, this Thanksgiving, I am even more grateful than usual for my wonderful kids and all of my friends; your love and support make me the luckiest person I know!

            I am also grateful for the poetry of Maya Angelou, whose work never fails to remind me of how truly brilliant and wise she was. Here is an excerpt from her poem, “A Brave and Startling Truth”:

When we come to it
We, this people, on this wayward, floating body
Created on this earth, of this earth
Have the power to fashion for this earth
A climate where every man and every woman
Can live freely without sanctimonious piety
Without crippling fear

When we come to it
We must confess that we are the possible
We are the miraculous, the true wonder of this world
That is when, and only when
We come to it.

            Happy Thanksgiving!
 

Sightseeing

“Sightseeing”   Pastel       8” x 10”       $75     © Sharon Lewis

            This gull had the perfect position for seeing approaching lobstermen or women, fish swimming below, or maybe she/he was just enjoying the view as I was on a beautiful day in Maine.

            Happy Weekend!

Glimmering in the Sleep of Things

“Glimmering in the Sleep of Things”         Oil          2” x 3”        $25   © Sharon Lewis
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            When I cannot think of a title for one of my paintings, I often read poetry for inspiration.  Each time I do this, I not only find an interesting painting title but I am also reminded of the tremendous skill exhibited by poets. I paint images with pigment but they also paint images, I think more skillfully than I at times, with their choice of just the right words. The title for this painting comes from the poem, “A Spell BeforeWinter” by Howard Nemerov.       

          Happy Winter and Happy New Year!

Thankful for Vegetarians

“Thankful for Vegetarians”        Oil         6” x 6”          $75           © Sharon Lewis 
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            Every summer we see these turkeys traverse the backyard of this house we rent in Maine. Normally, they seem intent on looking for food and spend most of their time looking at the ground. However, one year, a group came through and they all jumped on this wooden fence and just gazed at the sea. Apparently, even turkeys can be moved by beauty.

By the way, I’m not trying to make any non-vegetarians out there feel guilty. I have to admit, I also had a few bites of turkey yesterday….and even some bacon for breakfast!

Hope you enjoyed a happy Thanksgiving.

Happy Weekend!

Sentinel

“Sentinel”             Pastel                12” x 12”              $175                  © Sharon Lewis
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                 This painting is based on photos I took while traveling on Runde, an island off the coast of Alesunde, Norway. I was hoping for some great photos of interesting scenery but when we arrived, the island was shrouded in fog. Luckily, after a short hike, the fog started lifting and I was able to get this beautiful bird standing on a small seaweed covered mound standing watch.

It’s the Last Day of 2014!

“Quietly Beautiful”      Pastel    2.5” x 3.5”    $20      © Sharon Lewis
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            Female cardinals are often described as being a dull brown color. I think they are in fact often, quietly or subtly beautiful. I think some of the art I admire most is subtly beautiful as well. Don’t get me wrong; I love striking color in some art. However, if I think of the artists I have long admired such as Winslow Homer, Vermeer, Bierstadt, Mary Cassatt, I think of subtly beautiful work.

I think that they have so ingeniously woven their skill into the fabric of their art that they draw you in, fascinated by the image before you, and only later do you appreciate the great skill that produced that magnificent piece.

            I hope some day to produce art like that….maybe in 2015?

I hope that wherever you are, that you celebrate the end of the old year and the beginning of the new one with the warmth of family and friends and perhaps some quiet beauty.

Only Memories of Snow

“Cardinal in the Snow”    8” x 10”   Pastel    $75   © Sharon Lewis
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            It’s a beautiful, spring day in the Atlanta area. I had plenty of time to remind myself to be grateful for this weather as I sat in Atlanta traffic for two hours this afternoon. At least if the major highway I was on had turned into a parking lot I had great views of all of the blooming trees and bushes. I saw white fluffy pear trees, purplish-pink tulip trees (which I found out are really a type of magnolia tree), and beautiful, pink, flowering cherry trees. These colors are so welcome against the backdrop of grays and browns that are the holdovers of winter. It reminded me of this cardinal I photographed against the grey, purple and brown background of winter. It provided such a cheerful, colorful sight that I had to paint him !
            I hope wherever you are, that you are enjoying the beginnings of spring.

            Happy Weekend!
   

Do These Feathers Make Me Look Fat?

“Do These Feathers Make Me Look Fat?”   6” x 6”   Pastel    $40    © Sharon Lewis
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            Today’s painting is of a goldfinch that has fluffed up its feathers so that it looks three times its normal size. At first I thought it was a fledgling since they often have this kind of cute, roly-poly look, but I think it’s simply an adult trying to retain some body heat on a very cold day. I based the painting on photos I took during our last snow and ice storm when the birds were almost continually flying from a nearby bush to my window-mounted feeder.

            To me the goldfinch, with its sunny, yellow feathers is an especially beautiful bird to see on a gray, wintry day. In addition they have such a cheerful song or call (click here to listen to one)

            I’ve noticed that even though goldfinches are supposedly territorial only during nest construction, they are one of the few species that don’t share nicely at the feeder. In spite of the fact that they are typically one of the more slender birds, they squawk and peck away almost all of the other birds. This one though is just plain adorable!

Enjoy and have a happy weekend!

A Fish of a Different Color

“Fish Scales”    9” x 12”     Pastel     $100    © Sharon Lewis
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            This painting may be a bit of a surprise for those of you used to my landscapes and still life works. However, after a particularly gloomy, rainy winter day, I decided some bright colors were in order. Today’s painting comes from sketches I made years ago when playing around with some ideas for colorful paintings. At the time, I think I wanted an excuse to use primary colors but for some reason, I never worked on the painting I had envisioned.  While straightening up my studio over the holidays I found my sketchbook with a handful of ideas about fish paintings and I just had to try this one. I painted this with Diane Townsend’s Wolf Kahn set of pastels. If you’ve ever seen any of his paintings, you’ll know we love a lot of the same vivid colors.

Wishing you all a happy weekend!