For me, honouring a nature scene with paint and brush comes with responsibility.
My specialty is delivering emotional content of the landscape, in that specific moment in time.
In order to transport you to a specific place and moment involves understanding how emotions respond to subject, light, colour and shape. Careful observation helps to achieve this. It requires clever composition and knowledge in how to declutter or soften the noise of a scene. What information to keep, what to ignore, is one of the biggest challenges.
A selection of my work with my research photos beside these paintings is below shows you how I find my way in a painting.
Energy and emotion can be relayed in colour values, brushstrokes, definition, and focus. When I am in nature, I am absorbing information, tapping into emotion and focus on the energy around me.
My work is not always site specific. The large Killarney painting is a perfect example. ( available for purchase, shown in collection photo above with desk )
Like many who witness these beautiful shores, I was taken with the warmth and colour of the amazing red rock. The day we hiked to this particular outcropping it was overcast with rain on the horizon.
The northern skies can be really amazing. I thought about how often this area is painted by so many, with primary focus on the rocks and shore. as in this 8×10 I painted below.
What if I created a large painting of this area, focusing on the sky, on a beautiful transformational sky with the shores secondary? It would be unique and a testament to the amazing skies often seen in the north. Painting it in soft palettes and realistic brushstrokes would contrast with the shore.
The area has many lovely little islands of these gorgeous rocks, dotted with windswept pine, that you don’t always see from a chosen vantage point. I wanted to convey their abundant continuance, so I included them in this scene. In this way, the painting isn’t site specific, yet it honours the region, and those beautiful sky scapes.
Being present in nature, we don’t always witness the all the beauty before us. Attention depends on personal mood, time spent, etc. While moving in the landscape, focus may be on the path ahead.
The concept of transporting you to a landscape artfully, is to allow you to be present in a way you may not have been able to in person. It’s an offering to observe motion, colour, light, movement, and to be emotionally connected. To be included. You have the unique opportunity to be still, and yet be engaged, immersed in nature at the same time.
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Originals “Mountain”, “Sky and Rocks”, 4ft x 3ft $4,750. each, collections of 8×10’s shown available for purchase. $550 each.
Limited inventory is available. I will not be picking up the brush to paint again for some time. I’m happy to assist you building your collection, or selecting gift purchases. Please contact me with your selections, or to further inquire about what is available. dawn@dawnbanning.com