I stared at the leftover paint on my palette Saturday afternoon and decided to paint from my imagination. To play!! That's a big stretch from me who likes the comfort of a well-planned out piece of artwork, start to finish.Letting my imagination guide me, I ended up with something very different from usual...and I had a blast doing it. At first glance, this little 8"x10" looks dark and moody (I was wishing for my photographer friend's help with capturing it adequately!) but with closer inspection, you are invited in to one of my favorite hours of the day - that moment of dusk where the remaining glow of the day is barely hanging on and lights are coming on inside homes. For me, it's a magical, dreamy time....it's not yet night, but neither is it still daytime.
Novelist Zane Grey quotes: "People live for the dream in their hearts. And I have yet to know anyone who has not some secret dream, some hope, however dim, some storied wall to look at in the dusk, some painted window leading to the soul."
Dreams at Dusk, an 8"x10" oil on canvas board, is currently available on my website: http://www.artbymj.com/images/Dreams_At_Dusk.html.
4 comments:
I love paintings like this that provoke the imagination to consider what’s happening in that home. Is there a “traditional” family waiting for father to come home from work while mother prepares the evening meal? Or maybe there is an elderly couple watching the sun set behind the hills from a picture window on the other side of the cottage. Or perhaps the owners are simply settling down to watch TV for the evening and are totally oblivious of the beauty surrounding them. I also love trying to “place” the scene. There is no chimney on this cottage that suggests that it is in the south where the occupants have no need to worry about cold winters. Thanks for making me think.
Fergus, thank you so much as you have really struck a chord with me. This is how I hope to grow with my art. When people look at a piece of art and stay with it, pondering and making it their own, that's a gift back to the artist!
The changes are masterful! Now it has all the right ingredients. The chimney and the light from the windows really do convey a sense of contentment. I think I’ll settle for loving couple chatting about their day in the glow of that setting sun!
Thank you - I like your story. I'm sticking with that one!
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