Wild Beauty

“Wild Beauty”        Pastel         12” x 9”          $100         © Sharon Lewis
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                  Temperatures are back in the 80’s again and I’ve begun to dwell more on thoughts of summer rather than autumn. This is a painting of the beautiful roses that grow wild around the house we stay in every year on Bailey Island, Maine. I’m hoping that cool days will be here again soon but in the meanwhile, it doesn’t hurt to remember the wild beauty of summer.

            Happy Weekend!

The Beautiful Changes

“The Beautiful Changes”            Pastel         9” x 12”          $100      © Sharon Lewis
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            I’ve definitely been in the mood for the cool days of autumn lately, especially every time I run my 4.5 miles. It’s mid-October and unfortunately, Georgia seems to think it’s still summer for we’ve had temperatures in the 80’s nearly every day. Nonetheless, the trees know it’s fall and they are wearing their beautiful leaves of red, yellow, and orange. I find myself wanting to paint pumpkins, apples, and wonderfully colored fall trees like the ones in this painting.

The title of this painting is borrowed from the title of a poem by Richard Wilbur and I use it to refer to two aspects of this painting. The old barn in the painting was probably once shiny and new and considered beautiful. It’s older now and not quite so shiny but in the glow of the setting sun, it’s luminous. The other “beautiful changes” are the gorgeous colors we see in the trees in autumn.

Happy Weekend!

Passing the Light Forward

“Passing the Light Forward”        Pastel         9” x 12”          $100      © Sharon Lewis
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            In the midst of all the political turbulence going on before the national election, it helps me to take a break, a deep breath, and celebrate the natural world with all its beauty. This painting was based on photos taken while walking on a very peaceful beach. As the sun set, the beacon in the lighthouse went on, almost as if the sun had passed its light forward.     

What a great idea to focus on …passing our light forward…not our fears, frustration, and anger, but our kindness, compassion, hopes, and dreams.

            Happy Almost Weekend!

Everyone's Welcome Here

“Everyone’s Welcome Here”         Pastel           12” x 16”           $200          ©Sharon Lewis
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            The day we hiked up and down this rocky beach I was struck by the diverse collection of animals on or near these rocks. I haven’t painted all of them here but there were 4 or 5 different species of birds along with harbor seals and even a few members of homo sapiens, all getting along quite peaceably. It reminds me of how lucky I am to work at a college that celebrates diversity and works toward creating an inclusive community…. sort of like this one here.

            Happy Almost Weekend!

Pacific Cove

“Pacific Cove”             Pastel               9” x 12”             $100         © Sharon Lewis
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            This summer, we spent some time along the Pacific Coast Highway (also known as Highway 1), especially near Monterey and Big Sur and it was absolutely gorgeous! In addition, every day was what I considered ideal hiking weather: sunny, breezy, and cool. Of course I wanted to paint everything I saw but there wasn’t enough time so I settled for mini paintings on location and larger ones once I got back to my studio. This painting is of a site that just entranced me because of the sinuous shape of the water as it flowed into this cove as well as all the gorgeous colors reflecting on the surface.
            Happy Almost Weekend!

The Promise of Blue Skies

“The Promise of Blue Skies”         Pastel                12” x 16”           $200              © Sharon Lewis
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            I find rocky shores and rock formations in the water endlessly fascinating. As a child growing up near an ocean with smooth sand and interesting shells but no rocks, I wanted a little more drama! My brothers and sisters and I had to content ourselves with playing on a giant banyan tree that had fallen into the water. That banyan tree was a fort, a pirate ship, a castle…..anything exciting and dangerous.
            I saw these rocks while on the coast this summer, and took lots of photos knowing even then that I would be painting them. As I got closer to them, I was amazed to see all of the different colors that from a distance looked only dark grey and brown.
            Hoping you see blue skies and have a happy weekend!

Keeping Vigil

“Keeping Vigil”                Pastel            12" x 16"            $200           © Sharon Lewis
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            This is the third of my recent lighthouse paintings. As you can tell, I really enjoyed this beautiful area as well as the historic lighthouse. Each time I looked up as we hiked around this area I saw a different but equally interesting view. In this painting I wanted to highlight the beautiful but possibly treacherous cove (if you were a ship lost in the fog), as well as the light hitting the soft, green grasses on the hill.
            Happy Almost Weekend!