-Home-
I didn't get very homesick in College, but since moving to Chicago and really facing a cold winter and city life I've been finding my heart being full with love for the place where I grew up in California. I went back last week for a visit, and it was just like I remembered it–full of beauty and sunshine. The place of one's childhood is always full of magic. Looking at the landscape around me, smelling the springtime smells there–it all makes me want to paint. Luckily this time I have things to paint from the trip! While I was there I was able to get dozens of great photographs and have a couple of staged photoshoots with models for new paintings I'll be working on this summer. The paintings (in my head currently) are already pretty special to me, and I cannot wait to get started on them and share. I snapped this photo on my iPhone one afternoon after finishing up with a couple of models posing with my parent's sheep in the backyard. It was just a dream. Those little lambs are so precious . . . and I might be painting this capture now too.
- Peder Mork Monsted -
I wish I knew so much more about this artist. I can't seem to find a lot of information on him, but I can find a few high-res photographs of his work–that's like finding gold to me!! I've mentioned him briefly just recently here. His work has been inspiring me so much since I found it. It's not so much that I would love to paint exactly like him, but something about the color harmonies and the way that his paintings seem to have a fluidness throughout the entire piece that is so uniquely Monsted just stuns me. Also, the subject matter he paints is what my dreams are made of: little beautiful, windy, country scenes. Click the image below to see his painting larger, and watch his brushwork come to life! I especially love the birds and the clouds up in the top middle area, and those little laundry lines! Oh, and I have to mention the tree branches just above the little cottages. Zoom in on those!
- Pinterest -
I feel a bit silly putting this on my gatherings post. Pinterest?! This is a given . . . but if not, consider this a APSA or Artistic Public Service Announcement. I've found, as I am sure some of you have too, that Pinterest is a FANTASTIC site for finding new art and artists. If I recall correctly, I'm pretty sure I didn't join Pinterest for its great resource of discovering art, but besides the common "wedding board," "quote board," and "dream home board," which I admittedly do have and add to frequently (ok, not so much the wedding one anymore,) I am consistently pinning art that I love now. I'm always amazed that without fail I can find a new piece of art that just sings to me, when I go "gathering" on Pinterest. Yes, sometimes it's good to step away from seeing what other artists are creating, but other times I find it very motivational to look at other's work. So why not Pin?! Pinterest is how I discovered Peder Monk Monsted, after all! You can follow me on Pinterest here, and, if you wish, be sure to leave your Pinterest name in the comments for me to follow too!
