Day #22 :: RIDE HOME :: January Daily Painting Challenge

RIDE HOME
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

$125 + $8 shipping

This piece is inspired by the same day and drive of the previous post. The consistency of the shadow line on the distant trees alludes to that.

I remember a painting demonstration at a local art association years ago. The artist mentioned that when one looks at a painting, the time of day, season, sometimes month should be noticeable from the visual clues in the work. Color, light, and other timely hints let us know when the painting is meant to show. 

This January challenge really cements this idea for me. So many of the paintings are so obviously January and winter for me. The color of the light on this one is all January. 

A wise-guy in the audience told the demonstrating artist that his painting felt like a Tuesday. I don't think you can tell that! 

The colors in this painting are not as punchy as some of my other colors. The light gave an overall cast of blue to the piece, making for the grass in the field to be a difficult color to pin down. 

In the end, I love the result. It was nice to get back in the studio and spend some time really concentrating on a specific time. The next piece I'm going to post to bring me up to today is also from the same ride home.

Thanks for reading! ~kmw

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