Wednesday, June 25, 2014

BLUES DESCRIBED BY AN ARTIST



One night I went for a walk by the sea along the empty shore.
It was not gay, but neither was it sad -- it was -- beautiful.
The deep blue sky was flecked with clouds of a blue deeper than
the fundamental blue of intense cobalt, and others of a clearer
blue, like the blue whiteness of the Milky Way.  In the blue 
depth the stars were sparkling, greenish, yellow, white, pink,
more brilliant, more emeralds, lapis lazuli, rubies, sapphires.
The sea was very deep ultramarine -- the shore a sort of violet
and faint russet as I saw it, and on the dunes (they are about
seventeen feet high) some bushes Prussian blue.

--- Vincent Van Gogh, from a letter to his brother, Theo, June 1888




I'm working on full sheet paintings for possible Viewpoint entries.  I have quite a few small paintings (fourth sheets) for the non-juried shows coming up.  Now to choose just 4 of the best and get them matted and framed and send in my entry forms.  Why does everything happen at the same time?  





Here is 
The Littlest Bird Sings the Prettiest Song, 
matted and framed and hanging on the wall right now, waiting to be included in one of the non-juried shows.







The frame is a rough, rustic looking wood - looks good with the colors and the nature aspect of the painting.







What are you working on this week?


4 comments:

Vandy said...

Wonderful collection of blue descriptions. I am drawn to it particularly because blue is my favourite favourite colour. Thank you for that.

PaintedSouvenirs said...

This is so beautiful, Rhonda! And I'm in love with the blue color.

Autumn Leaves said...

Good luck with your entries, Rhonda!! Love the frame you chose for this piece. Frames can set a mood for a piece too, can't it?

RH Carpenter said...

Blues of all kinds are my favorites, too, Vandy :) I love how descriptive this writing is.

Thanks, Painted Souvenirs!! I do love blues of all kinds.

Sherry, thanks. I was surprised when I first began entering shows that they don't want the mat and frame showing in the entry - just the painting. Because the wrong mat and frame can really ruin a good painting! I always choose white/off-white mats and frames that suit the piece but aren't overpowering - and I have a good framer who has a good eye if I don't know exactly what I want when I go in.