To Every Season…

Preferences: we all have them. Art is subjective, so are painting preferences! My key: look for my painting joy in each season! I do have a definite palette preference and location preference. One of my friends prefers winter because she hates the green, green, green of spring. Me?  Sometimes avoid the green or change it! I paint what I want to see. Sometimes, I use it!

My favorite location? The ocean! Let’s talk about the ocean:

·         Winter: the grays abound, so I add purples and one of my fav Daniel Smith colors, Opera Pink, to the sky and ocean.

·         Spring: it’s an unpredictable sky with lots of new light.  I add a very special green to the ocean—Sennelier Pthalo Green Light.  But, there’s more fog!  So, I add a Payne’s Gray wash with a touch of Rose of Ultramarine at the fog line.

·         In the summer: your guess is as good as mine!  The summer is windy and unpredictable—that ‘s the fun of fit.

·         In the fall: it’s all about the beach foliage colors leading into the ocean and the sun lower in the sky, scattering Quin Gold into the water

Even though the ocean is an hour away, I can’t always get there, so here I am in the green, green, green valley. So, what to do?

In this locale, I rarely use green from a tube—it’s all about a combo of blues and yellows. I use reds and purples to settle the foliage.  And if I don’t see what I need, I invent! A bush not there—there it be! A mountain range not visible? Not a problem!

The lessons:

1.       See the joy in each season

2.       Paint what you want to see

Next: Paint What You Want to See!

Thoughts? Tips?  Please add in the comments!