Fiddling with the Light

I loved the simple composition of this scene as I looked down on this violinist during our trip to Italy several years ago.  It was a hot day, but he found a cool spot to play in the shadow of a giant pillar.  His music was lovely.

While the composition was simple, the perspective was not.  I probably went a little overboard with the detail on my initial sketch for such a small painting, but I really didn't want to finish the piece and then realize the perspective was askew.

After my sketch lines were fairly dry, I quickly covered all the warm sunlit areas in transparent yellow and and the cool shadowed areas in transparent blue. You may need to put on sunglasses for this...it's pretty bright!

The final painting is much softer.  My goal was to stay true to what originally inspired me (the simple composition) while "fiddling" with the warmth of the reflected light on the pillar and the musician.

Fiddling with the Light, 6x8 Oil, Sold

Workshop with Colley Whisson

Since being an artist means being a life-long learner (aren't we all?), I try to take at least one art workshop each year from an artist whose work I love.  Last week I attended a two-day workshop with Australian artist Colley Whisson.  I love the dramatic light that fills his paintings! He was a great instructor and his Australian accent was lovely to listen to :)

Here are two studies I completed during his fun workshop:

Window Light, 8x10 oil on board (painted after Colley Whisson)

The yellow Hat, 10x8 oil on board (painted after Colley Whisson)

Steps from Lassiter Mill Falls

On one of my "plein air" outings I went to a spot in Raleigh called Lassiter Mill Falls.  At first I was disappointed because the water level was so low that it was really more of a Lassiter Mill Trickle that day than a Falls.  

Searching for inspiration, my eye caught this fairly unkempt set of stairs leading up the bank.  Normally I might think, "Oh, that's a little bit junky", but all I could see was the way the light transformed it into a thing of beauty.  The sun bathed the path and the tree in a soft warm glow, peeked between the bushes, and dappled character up and down the weathered wood.

This is the picture I took:

But this is what I really saw.  I love seeing the world through the eyes of an artist :)

Steps from Lassiter Mill Falls, available
8x10 Oil on panel, framed