Day #7 :: WINTER HOPE :: January Daily Painting Challenge

WINTER HOPE
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

$125 + $8 shipping

Today was a difficult January day -- as many days in January can be. Apart from the temperatures, which were rather mild for this time of year, today was about change. Changes that have happened and changes yet to come. 

I went to a wake tonight for a dear former boss. He and his family offered me such opportunity when I was in my twenties. Somehow I knew to work hard for them and see where the opportunities would take me and I went all sorts of places! Nantucket was particularly wonderful. So many years ago now. 

In the end, I could and should credit them with directing me to art school because they owned galleries. I spent my days working for them selling other people's artwork, figuring out what people wanted to buy, and studying what I sold. 

Funny how paths make sense in hindsight. 

Today we also got news of a family member's diagnosis. When you're hoping more than you can hope that it's not cancer and then it is....And I have no other words. Only prayers and making art. 

When I'm not sure what to do or when I feel lost or apprehensive, making art helps. 

Today's piece was a challenge again. Simple in construct, this solitary tree with some depth in the flat plane against a treeline and an oddly colored sky isn't as complicated as say a marsh with a dramatic sky and boat and and and... Simple in art is never simple. Instead simple is often a nightmare. How can it be done in a simple fashion and still feel professional/deliberate/confident/finished/etc? It takes some doing and experimentation to get there. 

My notes and reference weren't these colors, but when I painted them as they were there was no hope in the grays and dull browns. Those tones are for another day. Instead, what fun for me to empurple (a great word and joke for my art students) and redden and warm up the color notes! 

The piece is now more hopeful in its feeling. I kept at it with layer upon layer and finally arrived at a place I love for my painting and my head. 

Thanks for reading! ~kmw

Day #6 :: PATH AT DUSK :: January Daily Painting Challenge

PATH AT DUSK
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6

$125 + $8 shipping

Today's painting was completed at dusk, which this time of year is like around 4pm -- too early! 

The girls were playing and I sneaked into my studio for some quiet time to think and paint and be on artistic auto-pilot.

My last two pieces, the Bright Bouquet and the Enamel Pitcher, were using a different brain for me. This painting today was back to my old painting brain but I was flexing my color muscle. I wanted to tweak the colors to read like that odd chilly light that is so very January. 

I think I communicated that light pretty well ;)

Thanks for reading!  ~kmw

Day 7 :: FIELD SUNSET :: #30in30 Painting a Day Challenge

FIELD SUNSET
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

at The Drawing Room, Marion, MA 

We are a week in to Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 painting challenge. I'm developing quite a system: Go through the day, Make dinner, Clean up, Kids to bed, talk with Tim, Head to the studio and paint!

The scene I painted today is near our home. We moved to a wonderful suburb of Boston less than two years ago and have been enjoying all that our new neighborhood has to offer. When we originally drove by this field en route to see our potential house, I was struck by this beautiful open land. I recall having had a feeling deep inside that we had found our home because I was supposed to be near this field and find inspiration in it. How funny to have felt that way when we hadn't even seen the house! And yet, here we are. The little wish I made came true.

This is my second painting highlighting this spot. My piece, "Two Trees" from two days ago was from this field. In that piece the trees are out of view of this composition and are sort of three inches to the right off the painting surface.

When I teach on Thursday nights my students often show me some things they are considering painting. We generally get into conversations about light and how the "light story" is foremost. A week into this challenge I am noticing my paintings have a distinct light story. Whew! It's good to know I follow my own advice!!

Thanks for reading! Until tomorrow --- kmw