People: Captured Moments Series... Artist Statement My desire is to capture the essential art that is our humanness. Thoreau wrote, “Sometimes as I idly sit by Walden Pond, I cease to live and begin to be.” I enjoy seeing and painting the art that is expressed simply by people being people. Whether in motion or at rest, expressive or reflective, alone or with others, each person is a complex entity unto themselves. Every one of us tells a story every moment just with our presence. And every story of every moment is interpreted and infused with whatever meaning another being lends to it. I’ve entitled this series, People: captured moments. The stories… I leave to you.
"The Music Lesson" 16x16, oil/gessobord
"Young Girl with Pigeons" 24x12, oil/gessobord
"The Music Lesson" 18x18 oil/gessobord Inspired while walking by a storefront music studio in Chicago.
"Young Girl with Pigeons" 24x12 oil/gessobord Inspiration: Piazza San Marco, Venice
"Wait for Me!" 18x24 oil/gessobord
Portrait of three young children... adventuring, exploring, discovering...experiencing the outdoors...kids being kids...remember the days..
"Architects on the Beach" 18x24 oil/gessobord Summertime... sand, beach, water and children...playing..creating...
"Three on a Bench", 12x24 oil on ampersand gessobord
A Sunday afternoon, in a piazza of Orvieto...three lady friends take a moment to sit ....each in their own world of thought....
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"Focus & Reflection" "Alexandra's Palette" "Flowers for My Nona" "Young Artist Paints" All oils, size 18x24, 22x24,24x30,18x24 young girls in the creative process...
"Love In the Air", 18x36, o/c
"Love in the Air " was inspired by watching a couple during their bridal dance. The groom was a soloist for a world renowned ballet troupe and the bride a premiere ballerina. I photographed them just as the groom effortlessly lifted his bride into the air, and immediately knew I would have to paint that moment in time
"Plein Aire Artist" 18x24 oil on Ampersand gessobord Painting en plein aire began around the 1870's. Put simply it's painting outdoors. The term is French and I discovered this artist sitting in a field while walking through the farm countryside just outside Castiglion Fiorentino. Though I had my camera in hand, I wished for my paints. What a lovely way to spend an afternoon!
"The Girl and the Red Hat", 18x36 o/c A young girl looking through a gift store at the art museum giggled while trying on the lovely hand designed hats..this red one caught her eye.
"Amici de Cortona" 18 x24 oil on canvas
On a recent visit to Tuscany, my husband and I would ride into one of the two towns nearby for our morning cafe and stroll. Cortona, a medieval hill top town was one of these. The lifestyle in these small towns is quite different from ours. The shops and businesses open in the morning and at noon they close to reopen late in the afternoon. The cafes remain open. These gentlemen gathered at their local meeting place as they did quite often. Aside from the gentlemen reading the paper, the others were watching "life as it goes by" ...perhaps a lovely lady was walking by....enjoying the "just sitting and conversation" ...
"Pensive Parisian" 20x20 oil on canvas
When visiting other cities, we love to just stroll the streets. While in Paris, people are seen just sitting... perhaps having an afternoon coffee and a bite to eat.... pensive in thought... watching others stroll by... even their pets enjoy the moment in "style".
"Olive Harvest Begins" 18x24 oil on Ampersand gessobordNear a small hill top town, Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy, Joe and I were fortunate to be apart of the annual olive harvest. Late in October, the grounds of the mountain side , home to the olive orchards surrounding our villa, are raked of grass debris so the "nets" that will be placed around the trees rest flat. The method of harvesting the olives, that takes place within a twenty day period, is the same as the Etruscans harvested them 700 B.C. except with the modern use of alumnium ladder. The women and men come out rain or shine, to "swipe" the branches of the olive trees of their olives and off to press they go.
"Out of Chocolate" 16x20 oil on canvas
A young girl sitting near an ice cream vendor in Cortona, Italy...though she looked sad, it was just for an instant when someone returned and handed her an ice cream.
"Nap in the Sun" 18x24 oil on canvas
While a guest of a friend in Florida, I came across this woman on a beach bench. This lady was taking a nap and dare I not disturb her. My husband found the subject of this work depressing . I saw a "peacefulness" about this woman as I came upon her and smiled. Life is not always sunshine, but this woman, though needing assistance with a cane, is fortunate enough to have a wonderful nap in the sun while listening to the waves against the beach and the warmth of the sand beneath her feet.
"The World at My Feet" 24 x 24, oil on canvas The portrait is of a homeless lady sitting on a bench in Santa Monica, CA. She seemed quite content and in a world of her own, with all her possessions in bags around her. So many questions run through my mind...who, when, why...questions I can't answer, perhaps neither can she....
~ The Fine Arts : The "frosting on the cake" of life ~
