Autumn

Well, here it is Thanksgiving weekend, and in a few weeks it will holiday time once again. I haven’t posted in a while, and realized it is because I have really been making an effort to spend as much time as I can soaking up my favorite season, Autumn. It has been a beautiful season this year, and as always, one that seems too short. Here are a few of the pieces I painted to remind me of the season I enjoy so much. ~Rita

November Song, 8×10 oil pastel

 

My Kitchen Window, 8×10 oil pastel

 

Autumn Falls, 8×10 oil pastel

The Artist as Native

Peters Kill Falls, 8×10 oil pastel

A few years ago my son bought me a book for Christmas called “The Artist as Native: Reinventing Regionalism”. The book is a collection of thoughts by various artists who celebrate the places they live and work.  I guess it is  universal that  there are places that get into your soul, and become a part of you. My latest painting is of one of those places here in upstate New York. The terrain is filled with  steep ledges  that jut out over forests, and waterfalls that drop very dramatically.  I didn’t get to spend a lot of time at this particular spot, but this view has been hijacking my thoughts since I got back. And when that happens, there is only one thing to do: Paint it.   ~Rita,

Advice for the Day: Don’t Look Under Your Couch Cushions…

I was recently expecting some overnight guests and decided to do a little extra house cleaning. Bad idea. One thing led to another and before I knew it I began cleaning things that had not been cleaned in …. uh, (clearing throat)… well, lets just say quite a while. Before I knew it, a day that had been slated for painting was eaten up with housework. (Sigh) In looking back, I did manage to finish this painting “Adirondack Waterfall” over the next couple of days, and  I did manage to learn a very important life  lesson. That lesson? I should  always remember to never  look under my couch cushions if I want to paint! ~Rita

Adirondack Waterfall, 8×10 oil pastel