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I’ve been looking at my photos of the West coast in anticipation of my upcoming visit there and decided to paint this scene of the Oregon coast. I’ve checked the weather and while it will be in the upper 80’s and 90’s here in the Atlanta area, it will be in the low 60’s on the coast – perfect August weather as far as I’m concerned. I can’t wait!
Happy Weekend!
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It’s funny to me that I don’t really like some amusement park rides because they’re too scary but I love standing as close as I can get to huge, scary waves, especially if there are also large rocks. I’ll readily admit it’s not always safe to stand so close but I find violent surf as it crashes against the rocks, endlessly fascinating and thus I also love painting these scenes.
Happy Weekend!
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| "View From Sister Rock" 8 x 10 Pastel $160 © Sharon Lewis Click Here to Buy |
This is a return to painting two subjects I love: the ocean and rocks. Whether you’re on the west or the east coast, the ocean always has a myriad of colors if you look closely. Interestingly, so do the large rock formations you see standing the test of time in oceans. The larger rocks also serve as landing and nesting places for sea birds and if large enough, as a haven for seals as well. There are always cool breezes here which to my mind, makes it a perfect place to hang out in the months of July and August.
Happy Weekend!
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“4th 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 4th of July Weekend!
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“Emerald Sea” 12” x 16” Pastel $384 © Sharon Lewis |
I’m leaving soon for a wonderful international gathering of pastel artists in Albuquerque, New Mexico, called the IAPS conference. It’s a gathering of talented artists, who teach, attend classes, and conduct workshops. There’s always an amazing exhibit of gorgeous art and it’s a great opportunity to talk with other people who are as passionate as I am about art. We joke and empathize with each other about the challenges of painting and drool together over the displays of art supplies. It appears to be the last such gathering for the foreseeable future which feels bittersweet but I’m going to enjoy every minute.
Happy Weekend!
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“Meet-Cute” 8 x 10 Oil $160 © Sharon Lewis
When I was on the coast last summer, I noticed a group of teenagers surfing – mostly all males. As I was walking by trying to get as many photos of the waves as possible, I was struck by these two surfers facing each other. He seemed to be posing, and she had her arms folded, possibly because she wasn’t impressed by his pose or she was cold. She still had her wet suit on (this was really cold water) while he had pulled the top half of his off – maybe hoping to persuade her he was worth talking to? No matter what their story, I loved the juxtaposition of these two young people, the surfer behind them, against a sky of beautiful clouds.
Happy Weekend!
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“Where I Want To Be In August” 5 x 7 Pastel $105 © Sharon Lewis
I started this painting on location on the coast of Maine and then forgot it was in my studio until now. I wasn’t happy with it because I found it to be a bit boring. So, I worked on the sky to make the clouds more interesting and added some of the sailboats that were out that day.
Happy Week!
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“Good Friends” 5 x 7 Oil $105 © Sharon Lewis
There’s nothing like meeting with a good friend to laugh, gossip, and catch up on all that’s important.
Happy Weekend!
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“A Walk on the Beach” 8 x 10 Oil $160 © Sharon Lewis
I’m back from an exciting but exhausting two weeks helping my daughter and son-law as they waited to greet their second daughter. She arrived on April 11 and we are so happy to have this tiny, new member of the family!
Today’s painting was done on location when I was at the beach a few weeks ago.
Happy Weekend!
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“Fleeting” 4 x 6 Oil $70 © Sharon Lewis
This past week I was able to get away to the beach and had a wonderful time walking and running on the beach as well as trying to capture the beautiful sky and sea. It was a beautiful respite from the news.
Happy Weekend!
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“Last Impression” 7 x 5 Pastel $105 © Sharon Lewis
Last summer I was fortunate to stay at a lovely rental house on the coast of Maine. The house had beautiful views of the ocean from the deck and Reid State Park nearby. Reid State Park was essentially two beaches enabling long walks with gorgeous sea, sand, and skies everywhere you looked. I really didn’t want to leave this place.
This was the very last painting I did. I needed to pack up all my art supplies which was going to take a while so I didn’t have much time. The view down these rocks was partially obscured by shrubbery but with the magic of art, I whisked that away and painted the glimpses I could see. It was a little more impressionistic than my usual paintings but it was one of my favorite ones of the trip.
Happy Weekend!
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“Rocks at the Beach” 8 x 10 Oil $200 © Sharon Lewis
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There’s a beauty and drama to the rocks rising out of the blue-green waters of the Pacific, that I never get tired of painting. What I’ve noticed is that they’re often found in what looks like family groupings with some adult size rocks and a couple of smaller, baby rocks. Soon however, I will be challenging myself to paint the rocky shores of the east coast along Nova Scotia’s and Maine’s coasts, where the rocks are often in very different formations – more like long fingers reaching into the sea.
I’m anticipating a respite from the heat and humidity of the Atlanta area in August and hoping that the tropical storm they’ve named after my daughter stays far away.
Happy Weekend!
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“On the Rocks” 5 x 7 Oil $105 © Sharon Lewis
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I’ve been into painting the ocean and the rocky shores of the west coast lately. I love how the warm reds of the cliffs contrast with the beautiful blue-greens of the water. There’s also something fascinating to me about scenes like this. This is obviously not a shore for sunbathing or riding gentle waves onto a sandy beach. I think I’m drawn to these more dramatic beach scenes since they are so different from the sandy, southern Florida beaches I grew up. We had our own drama however, when someone would at some point yell “shark!” We’d all rush out of the water, look for the fin, wait for it to leave, and then get right back into the water again. Were we foolish or brave? I think we were just kids used to swimming on a southern Florida beach.
Happy Weekend!
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“4th of July” 9” x 12” Pastel $216 © Sharon Lewis
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Happy 4th of July and Happy Weekend!
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| “Summertime!” 5” x 5” Acrylic $75 © Sharon Lewis Click Here to Purchase |
I was getting ready to finally throw away all the colorful masks I bought during COVID when I suddenly realized, I could repurpose them! I decided to cut them up and incorporate them into paintings in a variety of ways. In this painting, the young girl is wearing a dress made from a mask.
Happy Weekend! |
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“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!
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“Mother’s Day” 5” x 7” Pastel $105 © Sharon Lewis
This Mother’s Day weekend, I’m thinking of how grateful I am for my two wonderful children, Sean and Erinn; I couldn’t be more proud of both of them.
I’m also grateful for the woman who taught me how to be a good and loving Mom, Clare Albritton. Although she is no longer living, I feel her wise and loving presence with me still.
To all the kind souls who mother others with kindness and support: you make the world brighter for your presence and I hope you feel appreciated and loved this weekend.
Happy Mother’s Day Weekend!
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“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!
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“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!
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| “Beach Memories” 2.5” x 3.5” Pastel $26 © Sharon Lewis Click Here to Purchase |
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!
