Winter

Truth in Nature

Last Light January                    15 x 21"                    Watercolor

   John is preparing for a major solo exhibition at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art titled, “Transcendence: Truth in Nature.” In the course of writing about the paintings for the exhibition catalog, he walks the reader through the four seasons and the inspiration and challenges they bring to the landscape painter.

   This week, we wanted to share some of his thoughts and paintings about Winter with you.

   "Compared to the flurry of frenetic painting in the fall, winter painting is much more evenly paced to the weather. If we get any days of upper thirty-degree weather, I often head outside to work. This is the time to take advantage of the clear light and the bare architecture of the landscape which is normally obscured. What may appear to the casual observer as a stark and barren scene, often holds visual treasures for the artist willing to extend themselves into it. This is what I have come to enjoy most about the Midwestern landscape. It does not entertain. It holds its charms closely—not quite concealed—and requires curiosity, thought and effort to bring them out. It is a real pleasure to discover something beautiful to paint on a winter’s day."

   "Painting outdoors is about making thousands of little comparisons, judgments and alterations as we paint. It is as much an intellectual exercise as it is physical. The biggest challenge always is this: the brightest white paint on the market is more than a thousand times darker than sunlight! How we navigate that vast gulf and convert what we see into a believable rendition of natural light is what takes so much practice and skill. It is where the magic and power of painting is born."

Climate Change                         12 x 12"                    Oil

   We would enjoy hearing your thoughts on painting in the dramatic architectural landscape of Winter!