Some paintings seem to guide the brush from the first stroke of the underpainting. The canvas, the brush and the artist move across the surface as if choreographed by a grand mistress of creativity.
Such was the case for this 30 x 30 inch oil on canvas painting ROMANCING SUMMER BY THE SEA. With a simple palette choice…
the painting slid onto the canvas and was simply there!
Oh it still needed to be built up and refined and brought to life but there was no question about the form, structure, tone or composition. Did this painting come out of some illusive muse? Possibly but it was highly influenced by several known influences. The first being my experience on Saturna Island last summer in August which provided the reference image and essence of a particularly spectacular summer morning on East Point. Secondly, I was reading THE SWAN THIEVES by Elizabeth Kostova which had been recommended to me by Patricia from Patricia’s Wisdom. If you have read the book you will know how deeply the sea, romance and painting are part of its gift to the reader. Finally, just before beginning this painting I was in an art gallery in Sidney B.C. and admiring an artist hand-embellished reproduction of “Evening thoughts” by Italian artist Pino Daeni. I have seen even an original Pino painting several times and reproductions many times. But this time I was admiring how he might accomplish that sensual mystery in his work. Then I asked myself, could I possibly capture this in a landscape, particularly one I loved and already could sense its sensual presence. Well, what do you think? Can I?
(ROMANCING SUMMER BY THE SEA is available for purchase HERE)
Of course my figure does not have flowing dresses. She is a strong muscular modern woman with little to give her gender away until you see her smile that touches her lightly around her eyes. But this won’t happen today. Today, we admire her enjoying the summer morning mist in August by the sea. There are also two detailed images of both the figure and the reflections on the water posted along with the painting at the “HERE” link above.
SPROUT: What has recently wooed your creativity?
© 2012 Terrill Welch, All rights reserved.
Liberal usage granted with written permission. See “About” for details.
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Creative Potager – where imagination rules. Be inspired.
From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada
Terrill Welch online Gallery at http://terrillwelchartist.com
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Creative Potager 
Woweeeeee, this is FANTASTIC! I love the “slice” of land between sky and sea, and the figure on the hemline of the water’s edge.
SPROUT: What has recently wooed your creativity?
A literary agent 🙂
Very good and clever answer Laurie! Congratulations!!!!!
Congratulations indeed Laurie!!!!!
The water is very nice. I like how soft all the colors are. 🙂
Thank you cavepainter and welcome to Creative Potager! 🙂
Oh I like this one very much and your figure is lovely, strong and soft.
thank you for the shout out…about the book, I can see the influence
:YES YOU CAN – to answer your question
Creativity is a bit lagging right now as my next book for review came very late and I must, must get to reading it because these 500 pages must be done in time to write for Monday….I miss being out in the sunshine and this pressure tarnishes the creative…
…also working on income taxes…digs deep
I know Patricia – I still have the very last bit of paper work to do before we take our paper work to the accountant. But I know it shall get done – soon! Thank you so much for your feedback on the painting. Right now it is ranking up there on my personal favourites list. But if I was honest I feel this way about almost all of them. So much is learned with each experience when canvas and brush meet.
This painting is just beautiful …. it makes me want to go there! nancy
Thank you Nancy. Saturna Island is a very beautiful if somewhat difficult place to go. It isn’t really difficult but does require some planning and thinking ahead.
Another gorgeous work, that serves fair notice that this kind of physical beauty is just around the corner. There’s a pastel quality, and I love how those paint mounds are then swirled into the magnificent end product. As of late I’ve been inspired by some cultural endeavors to write again.
Good to hear you are writing again Sam. Whatever creative leverage we have seems to seep into our daily ways of being. Yes I suppose there is a bit of a pastel quality to this painting.It was that kind of morning. I am going to be sorry to part with this one. I almost didn’t put it on the market for awhile. But it is and for now is still with me.