A Sky Serene and Fair

“A Sky Serene and Fair”        Pastel         9” x 12”       $100      © Sharon Lewis
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           The end of the academic year is a time when it’s easy to lose oneself  in the long work hours and stress. This spring it’s been particularly challenging as we had a tree hit the house, punching holes in my ceiling and causing it to rain inside for awhile.  Then a repair person, while pulling out wet insulation, disturbed a nest of hundreds of carpenter ants hidden within that wall.  I just had to laugh; I kept telling friends that for a while it was like being in the middle of a badly written horror film.

            At times like this, I often find it’s a struggle for me to remember what truly matters to me so I have developed a practice of repeating a simple phrase, "Be patient, be compassionate".  It reminds me to focus not on my own difficulties but on what others are experiencing. I find that this keeps me more attuned to what truly matters in the long run rather than what I want to whine about (a truly boring, fruitless practice).

            Today’s painting is a larger version of one I did while staying near this coastal area. I really found myself missing that painting when it sold a few weeks ago and so decided to do another larger, and slightly different version.

            Happy Weekend and Happy Mother's Day!

Sunny Refuge

"Sunny Refuge”         Pastel      9” x 12”       $100      © Sharon Lewis
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                   Ahhh, it was a beautiful, sunny afternoon when we visited the Parker River Refuge on the northeast coast of Massachusetts. The refuge has sandy beaches and dunes, cranberry bogs, woods, and acres and acres of salt marsh. That day there were ducks sunning themselves near the edge of the marsh banks. With their brown and beige feathers they blended in so well with their surroundings that I almost didn’t notice them at first. You may be able to see some of them since I’ve tucked a few in amongst the reeds in the painting.

           

            I hope your weekend sees you getting outside and enjoying a beautiful, sunny afternoon. Happy Weekend!

Salt Marsh at Sunset

“Salt Marsh at Sunset”       Pastel       5” x 7”      $50        © Sharon Lewis
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            While staying on the Isle of Palms, near Charleston, S.C. this past weekend I had the urge to paint the salt marshes that we drive by each time. We often get to the marshes just in time to see the sun setting the marshes aglow with light. This time of year they are still mostly brown but I painted them more the way they appear in the spring and summer. That’s one of the cool things about being an artist; I can change the season to one I prefer.

            I was amazed to find out how varied the species are that live in these salt marshes. There are fish, diamond back terrapins, marsh snails, both blue and fiddler crabs,  mussels, shrimp, as well as oysters. Then there are the birds such as the red-winged blackbird, herons, and egrets. It’s amazing to think how many different creatures are hidden in these waters!

February Promises

“February Promises”        Pastel          9” x 12”         $100         © Sharon Lewis
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            This painting goes out to my family and friends who have been enduring seemingly unceasing snow and well-below freezing temperatures. Imagine a sunny, warm day with a beautiful sky and remember that there are only 5 more weeks to go until spring!

            Happy Weekend and hope you have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!

Autumn Gold

“Autumn Gold”       Pastel    9” x 12”      $100        © Sharon Lewis
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           It’s still autumn though it’s just days away from the official start of winter, as well as our longest night and shortest day.  I’ve always thought that the Winter Solstice is one of those tests of whether you’re a glass half-full or a glass half-empty  kind of person. In other words, whether you think about the fact that after the Winter Solstice, the days get longer or whether you focus on the fact that it’s our longest night. I’m always focused on the light so I look forward to the solstice, knowing that in spite of the cold, each day will gradually bring more light.

            I hope wherever you are, that you’re enjoying the warmth of friends and family. And to all of my Jewish friends, Happy Chanukah!

Marsh-Mellow

“Marsh-Mellow”      9” x 12”     Pastel       $ 100        © Sharon Lewis
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            We were on our way to the coast last month, with me madly shooting out of the window at the sunset lit clouds, when I realized that beautiful colors were reflected into the small ribbons of water visible in the marsh. I just had to paint this! Sometimes, you just happen to be in the right place in the right time.

            Happy Weekend!

Summer Marsh

"Summer Marsh"        9" x 12"     Pastel     $100       © Sharon Lewis
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               This weekend, I’m looking forward to relaxing, drinks with friends, and watching the spectacular fireworks in Atlanta. I hope wherever you are, you have a wonderful Fourth of July!

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!

Where Santa Lives When Not at the North Pole

“Christmas Marsh”    9” x 12”     Pastel    $100     © Sharon Lewis
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            Well, I believe I’m finally through with holiday shopping but now have to wrap all the presents. Even though by the time I get to this point I’m pretty exhausted, I still enjoy doing this. I love all of the colors of the wrapping paper and bows and even the tags. Each present after I’ve wrapped it, feels a little like a work of art I’ve created. I think I’m like most of my artist friends in that we need very little excuse to exercise our creativity…whether you want us to or not.

            Some of my artist friends might recognize the view in this painting although I’ve significantly changed the colors. It’s been a really grey, overcast day here and I felt the need for some bright, cheerful colors. The painting is based on some photos I took this September when visiting the Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor, NJ. This is a beautiful, peaceful marsh, with birds everywhere and well worth a visit if you’re ever in southern New Jersey. Happy Weekend!

Painting Challenges vs. Playing It Safe

“Plaid Marsh”    5” x 7”  Pastel   $50   © Sharon Lewis
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              Some days it’s so tempting to play it safe by painting the things that are easier for me. For some reason, I find it less challenging to paint skies and clouds, trees, mountains, and rocky shores. It could be because I’ve spent a lot of time in these environments and have studied what they look like for years. 

             I haven’t been around that many marshes but thanks to a very gifted artist, Karen Margulis, I find that I now want to paint them well. Karen paints such gorgeous marshes that ever since I saw her first paintings of this subject, I found myself wanting to paint them as well. Unfortunately they are deceptively simple looking but challenging landscapes for me to paint.  What could be so hard about painting a little bit of water, a little bit of sky, and a lot of land? Simple right? Apparently not for me and yet I continue to challenge myself because I’m determined (maybe I’m just stubborn) to meet this challenge and improve my skills. Every once and awhile I paint a marsh I like and it’s really fun.  The million other times, when I look in horror at what I’ve created, I just tell myself I’m learning from all of my mistakes…. sounds good, right?

Looking For Some Sun and Warmth

“Sun on the Marsh”    2.5” x 3.5”   Pastel   $20   © Sharon Lewis
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              It’s another gray day with the added attractive feature of almost incessant rain.  I decided I could really use a little sunshine and warmth. Since the weather gods seem to be ignoring my wishes, I created my version of a much nicer day in today’s petite painting. Hope you enjoy.

Artistic License

“Turquoise Ribbon”     8” x 10”   Pastel    $75.00  © Sharon Lewis
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             I love the whole idea of “artistic license”! It sounds like we artists have permission to do almost anything. It sounds so tremendously freeing… and in a way it is. In a sense, it’s also where the real work of creativity comes in. My goal as a landscape artist is not to copy exactly from any photos I might have  (if that’s what I’m working from). Instead I want to communicate to the viewer something of what I might have felt from being in that environment. Or I might want to make a landscape more interesting than what is conveyed in the photo.

            Today’s painting is an example of this. This painting is based on some photos I took on a trip from Moncton in New Brunswick, Canada to Prince Edward Island. We passed near some interesting marshes but the photos really didn’t convey this at all.  So, I changed the course of the water to make it look more like the beautiful turquoise ribbon of water I remember. I hope you can feel the warmth of that sunny day and see the beautiful blue sky, neither of which we had here today. Ahhh, I love artistic license!

Why I Love Birthdays!

“It’s a Beautiful Day”    9” x 12”    Pastel    $100    © Sharon Lewis
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           Today is my birthday and therefore I’m in a pretty good mood. I’m looking forward to a special dinner tonight, talking to my kids and other family, and CAKE!!!! I’m crazy about cake!

            I also have to explain that I don’t just love my birthday; I also like my kids’ birthdays, my brothers’ and sisters’, and my friends’ birthdays. I enjoy any change from the mundane and the ordinary. I enjoy being able to celebrate others and make them feel special and loved. Of course, if we were all perfect or at least better versions of ourselves, we wouldn’t do this only on special occasions. However the reality is that it’s so easy to get distracted by the routine stressors and demands in our life.

            Birthdays for me are also a time to remember what challenges I’ve met and what I’ve accomplished during the year. Even more important to me is to reflect on what I’m grateful for. I know I should be saving this for Thanksgiving but I’ve never known anyone to suffer from feeling too much gratitude.

            And so, on this day, I feel very, very lucky for all of my friends and family…. and because it just so happens to be a gorgeous sunny, fall day. I couldn’t ask for anything more! Except for maybe cake!

            Today’s painting is based on a photo by Stan Sperlak, gifted painter and photographer (used with permission). It’s another view of his Crow Creek Farm near Cape May, New Jersey. You can tell it’s going to be a beautiful day.

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.

A beautiful day….

“Quiet Morning”    9” x 12”   Pastel    $100   © Sharon Lewis
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            It’s the end of a week of mostly gorgeous weather in my favorite season of fall. Today’s painting is based on a photo taken by Stan Sperlak (used with his permission) of the marsh near his home on the southern coast of New Jersey. Stan is a gifted photographer as well as an exceptional artist.

            I painted this in September as preparation for a plein air workshop I took with Stan in the Cape May area of New Jersey. As much as I think marshes are interesting as well as beautiful ecosystems, I always find them challenging to paint. There typically comes a point where you have to decide how much detail to put in. You want to put in enough that the viewer can understand what he/she is looking at but not so much that it distracts from the overall feel of the piece. I tried for a happy medium in this painting. I was also trying to get the feel of a peaceful morning before all the noise, demands, and busyness of the day starts.

            Wishing you a peaceful, relaxing weekend.

The Beauty of a Wildlife Refuge

“Marsh Afternoon”   9” x 12”   Pastel   $ 100  © Sharon Lewis
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              About 3 years ago I vacationed in New England, trying to escape the heat of a Georgia summer. We started on the coast of Maine, then headed to the mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont, and finally onto Massachusetts. At the very end of our trip, we stopped at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, located on the northeast coast of Massachusetts near Plum Island.

The Parker River Refuge has over 300 species of birds, some resident and others migratory, many of which are easy to observe everywhere you look. It’s also home to vicious, biting green head flies and I can speak from experience, that if you’re not quick enough with the application of insect repellant, they hurt a lot when they bite. In spite of this, it’s really worth the trip if you’re ever in the area. Anyone who enjoys the outdoors would love this place because it has virtually every kind of environment except for mountains. It’s a beautiful place to explore beaches, dunes, marsh, woods, and bog.

Today’s painting is based on one of my photos of the salt marsh at the Parker River Refuge. It was a warm, sunny afternoon with a cooling breeze and only slight wisps of clouds in the sky.