Sunday, November 24, 2013

November Nuggets

Two days of gale force winds clawed away all of the colour remnants in even the most sheltered places. Here and there in the middle of the hardwood stands, the sienna and ochre young leaves of young beeches stand out amidst a now smoky greyness that prevails in place of the vibrancy and rich colour of October.

November is a month of transition... quietness and unpredictability. Light comes and goes almost too quickly to study or capture it in the field. It plays teasingly with one's vision. Then, in a few moments it changes or simply disappears... leaving one wondering where to proceed. November is a perplexing month to paint in and yet... there is that sullen beauty... that intangibility... that state of transience that I find intoxicating to view. If I simply gave up and remained indoors... I would miss these moments of contemplation and would lack a full understanding of the seasonal cycle.And there is something grand about the brooding dark woods... with flashes of green on lichen covered granite  and fernery remaining.

Structure plays an even more important part in my painting process during November, but I am not going to burden you with a "play-by-play" to bring you up to speed on my plein air work for the month. Me thinks... I often talk too much and moralize. It's "the teacher" that still lives within... and I apologize for that. So this morning, I am going to let the three sketches speak for themselves. This is my take on November in our area. I'll let you decide if... and how I achieved any semblance of structure in an overwhelmingly middle value landscape.



"Waiting For Winter" - 0il on toned 10x12 inch panel



"November's Sentinel" - Oil on toned 10x8 inch panel



                                       "A November Crossing at  Kay's Bridge" - Oil on toned 12x10 inch panel


I came across this simple, but lovely quote a few weeks ago. It seems an appropriate quote with which to conclude my thoughts for this post. It derives from the Canadian writer Lucy Maude Montgomery and in the highest literal sense, this short passage clearly demonstrates the powerful beauty of the printed word in its visual imagery. It clearly echoes my sentiments about the value and joy in discovering... and appreciating... and celebrating "the Ordinary" ... the everyday blessings of one's own life:

"After all, I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything splendid or wonderful or exciting happens but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one and other softly, like pearls slipping off a string."

-L.M.M
Anne of Avonlea

Good Painting!... to ALL!!!


8 comments:

  1. Oh each painting is a beautiful marvel of this season. I love that beautiful buttery yellow you've captured. I often see that color here in this season and I've never managed to get it on paper. The last piece is especially stunning. I so love stone bridges like this one, small streams, and always, the gorgeous autumn trees. I agree with Montgomery's words so wholeheartedly!

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  2. Hi there Sherry!... Thank you for sharing your own inpressions of November. That "buttery yellow"seen mostly in the light of the November skies which you describe... I call a "buttermilk sky"! I love these skies especially too... because of their mellowing effect on colour throughout the entire landscape

    LMM has such a wonderful command of language... a grasp of visual language which surpasses the value the printed words themselves. Pure magic to my imagination!

    Thanks for dropping by so often... and for always leaving food for thought!

    Good Painting!
    Warmest regards,
    Bruce

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  3. Beautiful paintings, Bruce...I LOVE " November's Sentinel'.... That little bit of Autumn still holding on. !!! Enjoy the rest of the week....

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  4. Good morning Hilda!... Thanks for dropping by and adding these encouraging comments. Enjoy your own Thanksgiving celebration and what is left of a rapidly evaporating 2013!

    Good Pastel-ing!
    Warmest regards,
    Bruce

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  5. What gems! I love 'A November crossing at Kay's bridge' the painting is so vibrant full of life and color. These three works remind me of the paintings by Monet. I believe you have the ability to capture the essence of a place when you work quickly using such expressive brush work. The colors are also those of November which is certainly a 'fleeting light' time of the year.

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  6. Good Morning Caroline!... Thanks for dropping by and for the greatlyappreciated comments and compliments.

    Every artist paints his or her best work when it flows fluidly from the brush... and the heart. Whether applied in glaze... or impasto technique it is the spiritual connection made ... the "essence"... as you call it... that draws the eye and the imagination of the viewer to the work.

    Good Painting!
    Warmest regards,
    Bruce

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  7. Hi Bruce, I love these sketches, they perfectly convey the mood of the season. The first one is a lesson in how to make a good painting out of nothing much at all. "Simple little pleasures" indeed!

    All the best,
    Keith

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  8. Good morning Keith!... You always say the right things when you visit Keith!

    The first painting did come from exactly that situation. The light totally failed early on in the process and I was left wondering what I had started. I did what I always do which is to persevere... in this case, finishing the entire painting with a textural tool... my palette knife. Another way to create structure!

    The mood is what you need to capture in November which comes out of the special light and earthy colour of the landscape.

    "Simple little pleasures indeed"!

    Glad you enjoyed the post and the paintings. We share the same wavelength Keith!

    Thanks for visiting!

    Good Painting!
    Warmest regards,
    Bruce

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