Painting #1 Haypress Creek – 11 x 14 inches
The painting above is based on our overnight camping in Sierra County with the Sierra Buttes in the background.
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving complete with a snow storm, and a power outage. Our family decided to go ahead with our Thanksgiving plans regardless if we had power or not. With the recent planned power shut-offs here in Northern California, this recent outage was a piece of cake. It was fun to be able to see bear prints walking through our property, in fact right by our car. We are bear aware and try to be responsible. We haven’t had a problem yet, well in the last four years at least. Another story for another post.
Painting #2 Another Time – 11 x 14 inches
This one is entirely from my imagination, my favorite way to paint. I try going for a general essence or feeling.
Painting #3 In The Shadow of Thy Wings – 13 x 19 inches
I simply brushed on colors and chased shapes and light. Sometimes this approach takes a while to emerge. Often I have to set it aside in order for my creative vision to capture the direction that a painting wants to go. I have to trust this process which means that I paint blindly. It has taken me a while to understand that this is the best creative avenue for me.
Painting #4 The Secret Place – 13 x 19 inches
I have a fascination with caves, mines, mysterious nooks and crannies within nature. I have been deep in a gold mine several times, as deep as 2200 feet. I have explored the inner workings of the 16 to one mine that my husband worked in. I never felt uncomfortable, hard to explain but I find such places creatively stimulating.
Painting #5 The Light of Thy Countenance – 13 x 19 inches
As I worked on this painting it was as though I was trying to capture wisps of smoke. An illusive searching and at the end, I felt that some expressive brush strokes using transparent white was the last hurrah. I might have already posted this one but wanted to include my thought process while painting it.
Painting #6 Morning Hope 11 x 14 inches
Yes indeed! Glowing light is something that I often chase. I wanted a mysterious feeling with minimal detail.
I will leave you with a photo of my favorite place to hike, Bullards Bar Reservoir. Have a wonderful weekend!
Beautiful ethereal paintings Margaret! For, me, there’s something about #4 that I find particularly entrancing – I’m torn between wanting to climb into the painting to head for that light source – or to remain hidden to wait and see what may emerge from within. Wonderful!
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Thank you! Haha you express exactly how I felt while painting #4. I was enchanted as well. Sometimes I feel like I am right there as I paint. Something is working right if my viewers grasp my angle on things. Have a wonderful weekend!
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These are so beautiful. There’s a touch of William Blake in some of them, glotious.
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Thank you, I really appreciate your comments. have looked at Blake’s paintings years ago, I will have to go back and refresh myself with his work. Cheers!
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Painting #5 really speaks to me… I love that you can work from your imagination. I find it is very freeing in my own artwork. I created imaginary landscapes for the month of November on my square project. I hope to post it tomorrow.
Your are always inspires me, thank you Margaret! ❤️
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Meant to say, Art not are… 😉
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Awww thank you Jill! I repeated the mantra over the years “I don’t have any imagination” haha I guess I was wrong! I actually do better working from my imagination than not, boy that is a twist! I am looking forward to seeing your landscapes ♥️
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Love the painting “Haypress Creek” – looks a fine place to hike and camp!
Sounds like your Thanksgiving was a good one, power or not. Fun to see bear prints near but not on your car, given the claws and weight! Saw a bear on a side street Friday, shambling along and (happily) heading away from us. It’s turned cold here, but the bears are active.
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Haypress Creek is a fantastic place to camp especially when we had it all to ourselves. Have a wonderful and productive week!
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