The Sunday Post-Constantly Learning

There are so many artists that I admire...too many to name them all here.

One of the things that sets the really accomplished ones apart is that they are always striving to learn.
This is something that is very important to me...as I realized a long time ago that the more I learn about this art thing; the more there IS to learn.

Recently I was going through some artwork, and saw  definite progression from some of my older pieces, particularly as it applies to rendering the desert light.


"Creekside Shimmy" is an oil painting that I did not long after moving to  Arizona..
I was thrilled to be in a region known for the red rocks...outside of Sedona, and abundant , brilliant sunlight. When I painted this, I was happy with the capture of the reflected light in the area in between the green grasses. Back East, I had painted a lot of water, so was reasonably satisfied with that.However, it lacks the finesse, brushwork, and edge quality that my more recent paintings have.


" Rainbow Cactus"
is a much more recent painting, where I have a softer edge quality, and much better brushwork. I made use of thick and thin paint passages to better express the subject. ...and I simplified passages; no need to describe every cactus needle!

Of course the best way to keep learning , for a landscape painter ( or any realistic painter for that matter) is to work from life. So, I have logged many, many hours of working out on location, in particular to study the light ...a life-long pursuit. These two pieces were painted in the studio, however, it is by the knowledge gained of working out on location that helps me know just how something should look. the insights stay with me, once back in the studio. So, it is a practice that I will continue, as long as I am able, and I hope it will be for a long time!

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