Updates from Terri on Her Art Journey
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Last week I added four abstracts to my gallery on Fine Art America, including these two abstract landscapes. If you’d like to see these and the other 100 pieces I’ve listed, stop by my art store at www.fineartamerica.com/profiles/7-terri-thompson
Honestly, I’m not a big fan of abstract art. I’ve been experimenting with it a bit this past month, and some of it is enjoyable, but it’s really not my thing. Maybe I’m just not original or imaginative enough. In the end, I’m more inclined to be representational than abstract. That is, I need to be able to refer to something, whether it’s a photograph, a model, a staged still life, or a landscape. And I’m inclined to paint subjects of nature. Perhaps that’s why I’m drawn to Vincent Van Gogh. This master believed that an artist should truly know and understand nature. It’s hardly surprising that Vincent’s art became inseparably linked with nature. Nowhere did he find as much inspiration, peace and solace as outdoors. Vincent was much more concerned with painting what he observed than from his imagination. If you wanted to paint an olive grove, that is where you should start. Vincent’s relationship with nature was complex. The iconic Dutch artist hated the hustle and bustle of the city, seeking comfort and inspiration in the countryside. Through his landscapes and nature-inspired paintings, you can get a glimpse into what made him a forerunner of the expressionist movement. And the letters between Van Gogh and his brother Theo are a true treasure trove to the mind of the artist and the importance of nature in his art. Here are some of the things Vincent wrote: “If I felt no love for nature and my work, then I would be unhappy.” “In all of nature, in trees for instance, I see expression and a soul, as it were.” “I’d almost believe that these canvases will tell you what I can’t say in words, what I consider healthy and fortifying about the countryside.” ”It isn’t the language of painters one ought to listen to but the language of nature.” “The duty of the painter is to study nature in depth and to use all his intelligence to put his feelings into his work so that it becomes comprehensible to others.” Vincent adored sunflowers. For him, they represented loyalty and devotion, and yellow was the color of happiness. He became so completely identified with them that his friends brought sunflowers to his funeral. It is remarkable that he could create a painting with just three shades of yellow and a few blobs of green to give it life! I, too, like to paint flowers, especially sunflowers, and I love the color yellow ochre. Like Vincent, it reminds me of happiness . . . and sunshine! Van Gogh has been such an influence on me and my art. Perhaps that’s why my paintings, while mostly representational, are becoming a bit more abstract . . . something between impressionist and expressionist, I suppose. And definitely involving nature.
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Have you ever wanted to learn how to paint? If so, and if you happen to be in the Las Vegas area, I invite you to come paint with me on July 6.
There are millions of people around the world who would love to be able to paint, but don’t even get started because they believe they have no artistic talent. I’d like to prove them wrong. The truth is that with the right instruction anyone can learn how to paint. Even if you’ve never picked up a brush, I can teach you a method that breaks down the painting process into three simple steps that will get you started. My goal is to build your confidence and inspire you to believe in yourself. Recently I became a Certified Instructor of the Moore Method of Painting. The Moore Method was developed by Rod Moore of the Learn To Paint Academy, based in Australia. Designed specifically for absolute beginners, the Moore Method uses just three colors, three brushes and three steps to produce a painting that anyone could be proud of. As an MCI (Moore Certified Instructor), I’ll be teaching folks how to paint a simple seascape on July 6 at City Lights Art Gallery, located at 3 E. Army Street in Henderson, Nevada. The class begins at 10 a.m. and should wrap up by 1 p.m. Admission is $35 and includes the cost of tuition, materials and a light snack. Space is limited. To secure your place, email tthompson1952@gmail.com Come and see how easy it is to paint! One of my goals for the second quarter of this year is to enter a juried competition. So, this past weekend, I competed in the PHOTOGRAPHY JURIED SHOW sponsored by City Lights Art Gallery.
These are some of the photos I entered in three different categories: classic photography, monochromatic photography, and enhanced photography. Sadly, none of my photos won. But I’m not sad I entered the contest. If you’re in the Las Vegas area, you can see the originals on exhibit until the end of June at the gallery located at 3 E. Army Street in Henderson, NV. Prints are also available for sale from my art store at www.fineartamerica.com/profiles/7-terri-thompson It’s June and time to start planning for summer.
God willing, in about six weeks I’ll be returning to Connecticut for at least four months. For the month of August, I plan to do a painting a day. Most of those paintings will be in acrylics and many of them will be scenes from various parts of New England, primarily in and around Burr Mountain and Lakeridge in Torrington, CT. However, I may also use watercolors and I hope to be explorative and perhaps even paint a few abstracts. The goal is to produce one painting a day for 31 days. And I will be posting them here in my blog and also on my Facebook page. But before I leave Las Vegas, I have two or three other things planned.
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AuthorTerri Thompson is a journalist-turned-visual artist, who is on an "art journey" and exploring how to tell her stories through her watercolor and acrylic paintings and photographs. Categories |