1/25/08

FREEZING COLD

There's an unwritten rule somewhere that proclaims, "All artists must paint a specific quantity of barns and lighthouses early in their art journey." I certainly followed the rule well. Going through old photos of my paintings, I found way too many barn paintings. And some lighthouses, too. Since I don't keep the best records of all my paintings, I'm certain there are even more out there. GROAN!


It was VERY cold at 7 am this morning when I left to take my husband to the airport, and the painting below portrays how frigid it is here. It is one of those obligatory barns that had to be painted but was done quickly - a twenty minute painting.

Out of the dozens of barns that I've surely painted, this is my favorite one, and I did it the year I started taking watercolor lessons. The style and technique are typical watercolor. Twenty years later, I am still attracted to the shapes and angles that barns present, still photographing them frequently.

I grew up with barns in my neighborhood, and I like them. I like the openings, the darks and lights, the textures, the varied edges, the sag of the roof and rafters, the muted colors, the patterns created by the various windows and door, and all the shapes of junk and weeds that exist in abundance around most old barns. I just may have to paint another one soon. Until then, look out.... there's a remote possibilty of my making (and posting here) a slide show of all the barn paintings I've ever painted! Scary thought.


"ARTHUR'S PLACE" Transparent Watercolor on Arches 140#CP 12 x 8" SOLD

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Seeing all these beautiful paintings...I actually went and dug out the three *watercolor brushes* that I purchased so many years ago! You really capture the spirit--the performance, perhaps--of watercolor in your work. Thanks once again for the inspiration :)
-Jamie

Pablo VillicaƱa Lara said...

I love your paintings! geeez Loueeezzz where do you find the time to paint so much!
AND how do you get yupo to do that?

Michelle Himes said...

Your barn in snow is beautiful, Sandy, as are all your paintings. I've painted a barn or two (even won an award with one), but I've never really developed a love for them. I guess it's part of being a city girl. But I do love lighthouses - visiting them, photographing them, painting and sketching them. To me they are exciting and not the cliche that they are to most artists. Perhaps because the first lighthouse I remember photographing was on my honeymoon, and the second was Pemaquid Point, a spot in Maine that I have grown to love.

Dawn said...

Barns I love barns, they hold horses dont they? Thanks Sandy for the great snow too.