I also am inspired by my fellow artists and eager to return to my easel after a show. The Waterfowl Festival in Maryland was no exception. The quality of the work is some of the best you will find anywhere and this year it seemed as if each artist stepped it up quite a notch.
Matthew Hillier's luminous paintings show how a master handles light. One gull painting in particular was my favorite of the entire show.
What Terry Miller can do with graphite continues to amaze me. Terry's use of negative space and depth makes it impossible for me to choose a favorite as there are so many I find mesmerizing.
From Amy Poor's joyful paintings (her turkey piece was one of my favorites) to Lyn St. Clair's leaping foxes to Mark Eberhart's striking work, they used a strong color palette to really bring their pieces to life.
There are so many more artists I could name. While it is important to spend hours in the studio creating work, I learn so much from my fellow show artists. The three main points I packed in my suitcase and brought home:
1) It's all about light. Use it, push it, play with it.
2) Depth and negative space are critical. Without them the piece can be flat and uninteresting.
3) Don't be afraid of color. It draws the eye and is just plain fun!
Inspiration is all around us.
As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I had great polar bear encounters in Manitoba. My husband and I were alone when we had a spectacular experience with this large male bear north of Churchill along Hudson Bay. There are few things like being on the ground with a wild polar bear.
Sea Bear
Sea Bear7" X 10"
Original Oil
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