"Internal Combustion"

(sold)

"The internal combustion of the heart creates heat." This quote can be interpreted several different ways so I will let you decide.

The motivation to paint another snow scene from Flagstaff was inspired by our own weather here in Austin. It is not hard to imagine that we could see snow falling in the midst of temperatures in the 20's.  I will go with the odds. It probably will not snow so I will paint it and pretend. Of course, those who live in it all winter would probably like to trade places with those of us who live in the South.

In this piece, it looks like the snow was falling after a previous snowfall since the foreground has little or no snow. Once again, I am vitally interested in the foreground since it creates depth and interest in landscape painting. The shapes in this particular piece are very fascinating and contrast beautifully with each other. So it is worth repeating that all paintings are made up of shapes. And the more varied and interesting they are...the chances of creating a better painting will increase. 

Finding these kind of photos requires taking a lot of pictures...much more than you will ever need. You will also learn what types of compositions appeal to you personally. That's why it is important to paint from your own photo references or better yet...paint on location. A strategy that I have been using is to have a pocket camera in my purse. That way, you will always be ready to "snap" that special shot. My friend, Sue, actually inspired me to do this. I was always impressed to see her "whip" out her camera at the optimum time.

Beyond all of that, it is simply important to paint or sculpt, or create a mosaic, or mixed media piece, or anything else that you feel compelled to do and do it regularly. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.