Light The Night

"Light The Night"

While visiting the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MN last week, I had the opportunity to get up close and personal with many of my favorite artists from the impressionism and post-impressionism movements. One artist whose work really caught my attention at the gallery was Monet. I had viewed his works many times in books over the years, but while viewing it in person, I noticed things that photos don't reveal. The brushstrokes and color were so fascinating to me, almost as if viewing the work for the first time. One of Monet's habits was to work in series. For example, his haystack paintings, while famous, were to him a lesson in lighting. He painted the same haystack over and over in different lighting throughout the day. For him, it helped him understand color and light, but for his career, it launched him and his life changed. While I'm not one to copy anyone else, I do learn from their habits and working in series for me is great way to explore light, color, technique and subject matter. It takes the pressure off of what to paint, and focuses it on the series and you end up with a body of work that's cohesive and that helps to establish your artistic voice. This piece today titled Light Up The Night features a simple autumn ridge with a dark ultramarine blue sky, but the subject is the moon. It's so large that it's partly concealed by the ridges of crimson and burnt sienna. This is a first for me, and I like the outcome. I envision many works in this theme focusing on light.
For more information on this piece please contact Siiviis Gallery in Duluth, MN