It has been said about Visual artists that for the most part we "paint our Lives" and for me that is especially true for I find myself drawn to places I like to be. Invariably these places are rural,often isolated, natural and open, and where people must interact in concert with the weather,the tides and the seasons.
Whether it is farming with horses in Lancaster or catching lobsters in New England to hunting grouse at an abandoned farm, "place" plays a very important role in the beginning of any of my paintings, For all of us who could loosely be called romantic realists I believe we should avoid the sentimental or cute, so in the process of making fine art, I believe effort must be made to look for, and paint something that is beautiful primarily for the way it looks. Luckily for me the places I like to haunt are full of such subjects. I believe it is important to note that finding places or subjects that I find interesting or beautiful is another way to honor our Creator who, as we read in Genesis "looked and saw that it is very good!" We also read in Genesis that the trees were given "To provide food and to be pleasing to the eye." |