Happy 4th of July!

 “4^th of July Weekend”    12” x 18”    Pastel    $324    © Sharon Lewis

             I hope wherever you are this weekend, that you get a chance to enjoy sunshine, good food, and time with family and friends.

            Happy 4^th of July Weekend!

Sunny Skies At Last

“Sunny Skies At Last”   7.5 x 10     Pastel    $160    © Sharon Lewis

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             I just got back from visiting family up north where it rained every day. I got back home just in time for it to rain every day here. In desperation I decided to paint sunny skies.

            I hope wherever you are, there are sunny skies above.

            Happy Weekend!

 

Friends

 “Friends”      2.5” x 3.5”        Pastel        $26        © Sharon Lewis

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            I am slowly but surely extricating myself from the busyness of my job and trying to lean into the slower pace of summer. One of the many things I love about this time, is the opportunity to connect with my friends that I don’t get to see as often. I feel so lucky to have not only a wonderful family but also the presence of smart, kind, funny, and interesting friends in my life.

            Happy Weekend!

 

Eventually

“Eventually”      2.5” x 3.5”        Pastel        $26        © Sharon Lewis

            Like my colleagues and my students, I find this time of the semester to be stressful and exhausting. What sustains me at the moment, is the thought that I will eventually finish grading exams and papers and then get to relax. When I was last at the beach, I was able to paint these people relaxing by the pool with the ocean in the background. Although I prefer walking the shore rather than sunbathing, at this point, this looks just fine. Ahhhhh.

            Happy Weekend!

 

The Golden Hour

“The Golden Hour”       8” x 10”           Pastel          $160        © Sharon Lewis

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             As an antidote to listening and reading too much about what’s happening to our federal programs, I chose to paint a tranquil scene. The light at this time of the evening is beautiful and is aptly referred to as the “golden hour.” The sand on the dunes starts to reflect the light and I can see pale pinks, turquoise, and blue. Ahhh, I can hear the sound of the surf now.

            Happy Weekend!

 

Beach Memories

“Beach Memories”         2.5” x 3.5”           Pastel          $26          © Sharon Lewis
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              I’m back from a short visit to the beach and I already miss the rhythmic sound of the waves as I fall asleep. This is a small painting I did as I studied the dunes and the paths worn by eager beach lovers on their way to collect some sea shells, dip their toes into the still cold water, or go for a relaxing run – all things I did on my brief visit.

            Happy Weekend!

 

A Day at the Beach

“A Day at the Beach”         8x10        Pastel          $160        © Sharon Lewis

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The more the news becomes distressing, the more I tend to escape to a place of peace and tranquility. Being by the ocean was always the place I ran to when I was young and my house was anything but peaceful. The rhythm of the waves has an almost hypnotic quality as the water comes in and goes out, always changing and yet the same.

Hope you’re able to find peace and tranquility and have a Happy Weekend!

 

Love

“Love”          8” x 10”        Pastel        $160        © Sharon Lewis

            Both in honor of Valentine’s Day and to push back on the divisive, demeaning, and insulting messages in the news and on social media, I choose to focus on love. This painting shows two Dads, one white, one black/Hispanic, with their family of kids. I wanted to put an image out into social media that is about kindness, love, and inclusivity. 

            Happy Weekend and Happy Almost Valentine’s Day!

 

Beach Dreams

  “Beach Dreams”       5” x 7”      Pastel      $105     © Sharon Lewis

             On a rainy day in Georgia, I’m dreaming of someplace warm and sunny, where the only sounds I hear are the calls of gulls, the wind blowing through the sea grasses, and the rhythmic, relaxing sounds of the waves.

            Happy Weekend!

 

4th of July Weekend

 “4^th of July Weekend”    12” x 18”    Pastel    $430    © Sharon Lewis

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             I hope wherever you are this weekend, that you get a chance to enjoy sunshine, good food, and time with family and friends.

            Happy 4^th of July Weekend!

A New Light

“A New Light”  12” x 12”        Pastel       $430       © Sharon Lewis

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            We got a new light added to our family this week in the form of baby Sutton Caroline. She is absolutely adorable and thus very hard to put down for a grandparent. I thought I would have plenty of time to paint when I visited in DC but found that I would much rather hold this little girl than a paint brush. Can’t wait to see her and her proud and very loving parents, Erinn and Tyler, again!

            Happy Weekend!

 

Peaceful in Blue

  “Peaceful in Blue”               2.5” x 3.5”        Pastel       $35        © Sharon Lewis

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Right now, I would love to be relaxing at the beach. When I’m at the beach, I seem to slow down and focus on the natural environment. Unfortunately, it’s that busy time of the academic year for faculty and students and we’re all focused on getting through mountains of work. Spring is when I want time to slow down a bit so that I can slow down as well and enjoy this beautiful season.  I’m grateful for trips to the beach and in spite of all the work, for this lovely time of year. 

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!

 

Sky Racers

  “Sky Racers”          5” x 7”        Pastel       $105        © Sharon Lewis

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             I have friends who are fond of clear, blue skies but not me. Give me a sunny, blue sky with some clouds and I’m much happier. Clouds are so interesting and although I know that people who study them closely have discerned patterns and even cloud categories, I find then endlessly variable in their shapes, sizes, and even the colors reflected within them. The clouds I saw this day at the beach, seemed to be in a race across the sky.

            Happy Weekend!

 

Low Country Dunes

  “Low Country Dunes”               2.5” x 3.5”        Pastel       $25        © Sharon Lewis

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             I was at the beach recently and was struck by how beautiful the colors are in the dunes. There’s the warm greens and yellows of the grasses contrasting with the creamy yellow or peach of the sand and the pale blues, turquoise, and pink in the shadows. Protecting beaches against erosion, the dunes also provide us with a gorgeous array of colors to enjoy.  

            Happy Weekend!

 

All To Ourselves,

“All To Ourselves”           2.5” x 3.5”        Pastel       SOLD        © Sharon Lewis

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            One of the benefits of going to the beach early in the season, before the water has warmed up enough, is that you just might have the beach to yourself. While I really enjoy being around people, there’s something about walking a beach without the crowds that allows me to be more focused on the smell of the sea air, the sounds of the gulls and that hypnotizing rhythm of the waves. Ah, my happy place!

            Happy Weekend!

 

Watery Life

“Watery Life”             8” x 10”       Pastel      $240    © Sharon Lewis
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             The torrential rain we’ve had in recent weeks, with all the subsequent floods, has reminded me once again of the tremendous value of preserving wetlands. While walking through the park I visit every weekend, I noticed that the wetlands there now contained tons of happy, watery life. I could hear the cheerful chorusing of hundreds of frogs called spring peepers – a joyful sign that spring is coming soon. 

           Happy Weekend!

Beach Promenade

“Beach Promenade”   11” x 14”           Pastel            $300      © Sharon Lewis

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            I’m looking at lead gray skies with cold rain in the forecast so I wouldn’t mind being on a beach like this right now. I can feel the warm sun on my face and see the billowing clouds ahead and a sparkling turquoise sea on my right. Ahhhh, this is the way to celebrate January!

            Happy Weekend!

 

Shared Joy

“Shared Joy”     9” x 12”     Pastel     $100   © Sharon Lewis

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              It’s always fun to watch the sunset when you’re at the beach but I think it’s even more enjoyable when you share that joy with others. It was late afternoon, and individuals of all ages, just stopped to admire the beautiful sky in front of them. The sun was setting behind them and reflecting gorgeous colors into the clouds over the sea. There’s nothing like sharing the joy of beauty in nature with others. It’s a wonderful connection!

            Happy Weekend! 

Wetland Waterway

  “Wetland Waterway”   8” x 10”       Pastel       $75       © Sharon Lewis

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            I’ve learned to appreciate the sometimes stark beauty of the wetlands in early spring. They are not yet the lush green they will become in the summer but are nonetheless beautiful to me with their sinuous, blue pathways of water. I’ve painted this small tree or large bush before, as it stands out above the low-growing marsh grasses. This time, I gave the tree some company, not too far away, standing patient watch (sentinel) over the wetlands.

            Happy Weekend!