Bryant Wood 16x12 oil
While the world seems to be going to hell in a hand basket, and there seems to be little one can do to stave off the negative and the alarming, I decide that the least I can do for myself is to make personal assessments and change my routines, refocus on mindfulness, read something from which to learn, and exercise the body to try to keep healthy and fit. Painting needs to be a part of that process as well, and though it's hard to find the hour or two in the middle of a busy day, I try to find a quiet place in my mind where it is just me and the canvas, the multitude of decisions and small problems to solve, and a momentary joy.
As a part of my new regimen, I watch series from The Great Courses (recordings of lectures by selected professors on a myriad of topics) available on cable now (for an extra $5/month). Currently I am watching Mind-Body, a scientific study of Consciousness. It captures my attention while the minutes slip by on the treadmill, the two-bird practice. At any rate, a recent episode covered the visual cortex, and how we see. It is fascinating to consider what happens to the image of the world as it comes through our eyeballs and bounces around the brain, how we see color (no color in our peripheral vision!) and why we have blindspots, how the brain fills in all those shortcomings in our vision. I don't know how this will apply to painting, but it would seem to make sense that better understanding of how we see can help us paint in a way that conveys emotion more readily.
1 comment:
This piece is stunning from all points of view. The richness of colors, the depth of the woods reflect the depth of the artist's vision, both literal and figurative. It is obvious that his connection with nature and his representation of what he sees brings peace and joy not only to him but also to those of us who are inspired by paintings like this which transport us to a magical place of tranquility. This is an example of true artistic talent.
Post a Comment