Sailing Saturday

“Sailing Saturday”     5 x 7     Pastel    $ 105     © Sharon Lewis

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             This is another painting I did while in Maine recently. I was in my version of heaven, painting on the coast, in sunny, cool weather, with gorgeous clouds overhead and sailboats gliding by.

            Happy Weekend!

 

Weekend Sailors

“Weekend Sailors”      5” x 7”         Pastel        $ 105      © Sharon Lewis

             Many years ago, I was visiting Seattle, one of my favorite cities. Not only does the city have all the usual great restaurants and art museums, it’s also on the water and so close to beautiful hikes in the mountains. One of the things I love to do when out there, is to eat someplace on the water and enjoy great food, cool breezes, and watch the sailboats go by.

            Happy Weekend!

 

Sailing Away

“Sailing Away”        11” x 14”       Pastel        $175     © Sharon Lewis

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            I enjoy my job but I have to admit, every fall, when faced with the barrage of meeting invites and organizational details, I want to be far away. I picture sailing away on a beautiful summer day like this, with blue skies overhead and cool breezes….and no meetings, no schedules, and the only thing to think about is what time the sun sets.

            Happy Weekend!

 

On the Water

“On the Water”    5” x 7”     Pastel        $50    © Sharon Lewis

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             It’s getting warm already here in the south and I would love to be back on the northwest coast, with cool breezes and the ocean nearby. This was the view from a restaurant right on the water in Seattle. I don’t really remember the food but I’ll never forget the view of the sailboats out on the water, enjoying the last rays of sunshine before heading home.

            Happy Weekend!

 

Here She Comes

“Here She Comes”         Pastel        5” x 7”        $50        © Sharon Lewis
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Last weekend, we celebrated the life and mourned the passing of my youngest sister, Julia Deal Lewis West, one of the most generous and kind people I have known.  I find myself seeking comfort again in one of my favorite poems by Henry Van Dyke, Gone From My Sight:

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,
spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts
for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck
of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone."

Gone where? 

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,
hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.

And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone,"
there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!"

And that is dying...

                  Hug the people you love and have a Happy Weekend!

Fair Winds on the Fourth

“Fair Winds on the Fourth”      Pastel         12” x 12”        $175         © Sharon Lewis
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             I wanted to create this painting in celebration of the 4th of July. It’s based loosely on a reference photo and my imagination. I hope wherever you are, that you enjoy sunshine, good food, and most of all, a celebration with family and/or friends.  

            Happy Independence Day!

Wind's Up!

“Wind’s Up!”          Pastel         9” x 12”        $100          © Sharon Lewis
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            I love painting sailboats, the ocean, and a big sky full of interesting clouds! Sometimes, I get lucky and get to paint a scene with all three elements. This is what I saw when I was home in southern Florida recently. The water was a gorgeous color with dark turquoise blue further out and a wonderful greenish-blue closer to shore. The sky was full of these big clouds that arranged themselves into an interesting pattern and to top it all off, a striking sailboat with its sails catching the light as well as the wind.

            Happy Weekend!

Return of Blue Skies

“Return of Blue Skies”              Pastel             5” x 7”       $50    © Sharon Lewis
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            For all of my family and friends in the path of Hurricane Irma, my thoughts are with you and here’s hoping that blue skies return soon.

In the Lead

“In the Lead”                 Pastel             9” x 12”       $100       © Sharon Lewis
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It’s the crazy time of year again…when my students and my colleagues and I are stressed out with all of the end of semester work. This is quite possibly why I’ve been painting sailboats lately. They tend to remind me of one of my favorite poems, “Sea Fever” by John Masefield.

For all of my tired, hard-working friends and students, two stanzas from this poem:

I must down go to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way, where the wind’s like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.

Happy Weekend!

Heading Home

“Heading Home”            Pastel            9” x 12”            $100           © Sharon Lewis
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         It’s that time of year when we join family and good friends to celebrate a feast and to remember what we are thankful for. I am so thankful for my two wonderful children who I will be seeing soon, my partner, my distant family, and all of my good friends. They all make my life immeasurably happier for their presence.

                                                     Happy Thanksgiving!

Sailing Time

"Sailing Time"                Pastel               5” x 7”             $50                   © Sharon Lewis
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            We’re on our way to the coast of Maine and I can’t wait! There will be cooler temperatures and more than enough wind for a sailboat or two, or even three. I will be painting from our backyard which looks out over the sea where views of lobster boats alternate with that of sailboats skimming the waves in the sunlight. Ahhhhhhh.

            Happy almost weekend!