Panola State Park in the Fall

“Autumn Light” (Landscape with Barn)     5" x 7"   $50.00   Pastel  © Sharon Lewis
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It’s another gray day in Georgia but I find today’s sunny landscape painting a good antidote since it has all the warm, cheerful colors of fall. This is a painting of Panola State Park, one of my favorite nearby places to hike. 

I painted this scene from a photo taken from the PATH Foundation Trail. This is a 12-mile paved trail that connects Panola Mountain with Arabia Mountain. Panola Mountain also has a watershed trail which follows a small creek that winds through the woods, empties into several rivers, and eventually into the Atlantic Ocean. The Park has large rock outcrops and as you can see from this scene, the remains of an old family farm. It’s beautiful and well worth a visit if you’re ever in Rockdale or DeKalb county Georgia.

Some bright colors on a gloomy day in Georgia.

               "Luminous Pears" (Pear Still life)      8" x 10"       Pastel         $75.00       © Sharon Lewis

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Today’s colorful painting was not the image that I originally intended to post today but I felt bright, primary colors and light on a dark and cloudy day might be appreciated. The truth is that anyone who knows me knows that I rarely need an excuse for using bright colors. 

I think it is really interesting that some of us prefer the neutral colors and others (like me) just love bright, primary colors. As a psychologist (my day job), I of course have to analyze this. I suspect that it has something to do with the need for stimulation and excitement that some of us have (the lovers of bright, primary colors) versus the stronger need for calm that others have (the lovers of neutral hues).  Which do you prefer?

Whatever your answer, I think it’s interesting that life, like a painting, is best when there's a little of both.

Guess what season is depicted in today’s painting!

"Sunset on the Marsh - Isle of Palms"   11" x 14" Pastel     © Sharon Lewis
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Did you guess fall? I know I would have if I had not been there in person to see this.

Although it appears to be autumn, it was actually spring when I passed by this beautiful marsh just on the edge of Isle of Palms, near Charleston, South Carolina.

The sun was setting and it caused the marsh grasses to glow with an almost marigold-orange, light.

I’ve been painting marshes again lately because I just returned from a workshop with the wonderful artist, Stan Sperlak in Cape May Courthouse, New Jersey. His Crow Creek Farm looks out over a beautiful marsh that has such gorgeous light shining on it, especially early in the morning. Perhaps later in the week if I have time, I will paint that view again. In the meantime, I leave you with a view of a more southern marsh just as beautiful as it’s more northern cousin.

Memories of Summer

"Summer Memory"     4" x 6"     Pastel    $35.00   © Sharon Lewis
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Ah, the end of the workweek and the weather is beautiful here in Georgia...though it feels like we're having a repeat of summer. It's due to get in the 80’s today and so I'm going to choose to think of long days filled with light and reminisce about a summer day I spent in one of my favorite cities, Seattle, WA. We were having an especially nice dinner since our vacation was ending and we were due to leave the next morning. It was a cool but beautiful, sunny evening. We ate outside with the water lapping just below us and the mountains in the distance. As we sat sipping our wine, we could see all the colorful sailboats heading home. The sun disappeared slowly over the horizon but not before setting the sails of this one sailboat all aglow. 

What a gorgeous, peaceful sight. Today's painting is of that sailboat heading home.

Sneak preview....

"Crimson Glory"    5" x 7"    Pastel    $50.00    ©Sharon Lewis
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What’s your favorite color of fall foliage? I have to admit that I love the bright reds, especially when there are some green trees nearby. They really make the red leaves look even more striking.

Last fall, I was on the road with a friend in the north Georgia Mountains when I spotted this gorgeous red tree. Of course there was no place to pull over so I did what I have done so often while traveling, I leaned out of the window and just managed to shoot a quick photo.

The leaves have not changed this dramatically yet where I live but I thought I would share this painting as a sneak preview of the fall colors to come.

Leaves finally changing and other signs of fall…..

"Fall Apples           5"x7"         Pastel                 ©Sharon Lewis
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I’m finally seeing signs of fall here in Georgia. Some of the leaves are turning orange, yellow, or red although the brilliant colors of fall I think, are still weeks away. While I love the long days of summer, there’s a certain excitement that comes with cooler, drier weather and fall colors. My runs in the evening are getting to be almost pleasant and I’m completing the 4.5 miles in less time than usual.

Today I’m sharing a painting I did last fall of apples, another sign of autumn to me. This time of year, you can drive up to the north Georgia Mountains and see tons of roadside stands with fall apples and huge, orange pumpkins. When I see the color of the apples in this painting I think of warm, sunny days and crisp, cool nights.

A sunset for those with a sweet tooth….

"Orange Sherbet Sunset"       8 x 10      Pastel   $75     © Sharon Lewis

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Yummm…. I love orange sherbet! It’s sweet and tangy and for some reason when I look at the sky in this painting, I can’t help but be reminded of this colorful dessert.  Looking at this scene I’m taken back to the late afternoon on the Isle of Palms when I watched the setting sun behind me reflect almost a rainbow of colors on the sea in front of me. I can also smell the salt in the air, feel a cool breeze and the warm sun on my face, and hear the sound of sea gulls. Who wouldn’t want to paint this beautiful ocean and sky?

By the way, as you can see from the date of the previous blog, I’ve been away for awhile. My day job, family, and life intervened so the blog had to wait. I hope to post more consistently from here on out.