Truly, I feel blessed these days. I have an extremely supportive and loving family, pets I adore, many treasured friends who both guide me when I need it and encourage me when I need that.
A couple of years ago I tried for an artist membership at an art association, preparing 8 large (30x30 and 30x40) paintings of the sunsets I see from my porch. The series was both personal and a reach for me, not being one who ever did much in the way of series. To make a long story short, I was rejected for that membership, and the judges were pretty clear that they did not think much of my sunsets, both as subject matter or execution. Later I talked to someone I thought was knowledgeable about selling art and she told me "Sunsets are a no-no. Actual sunsets cannot be surpassed, although photography comes in a close second. Painted sunsets are ... just 'too'...."
So I pretty much gave up painting them. Although they still inspired feelings of peace and expansiveness and joy in my heart, I closed that door for my art. Well, lately, and maybe it was seeing my work in Pam Copeman's wonderful home in the Boston Globe, and maybe it was just gaining a bit of confidence, warranted or not, but I decided to stick my fingers in my ears and hummm... and paint my sunsets that I love. I had even AVOIDED looking at them, as if just seeing the rosy sky and golden tipped clouds would make my art 'smarmy'. No more. You can now find me on my front porch soaking in the glow.
So here's a 12x12 that I'm working on. I'm about halfway through, but you can see where I'm going. In this, the storm clouds are coming up from the South East, headed right for us. When this is ready it will most likely show up at the Art Stable Gallery - look for it there!
