Starlings chatter away, a breeze moves through the cottonwoods. Sounds lighten the lifting of our paints to the canvas. A deer passes by with a quiet rustle. These are the sounds we paint with when reaching out to nature for inspiration.
In the studio, Mozart or Pink Floyd might energize our palette, allowing us to capture our vision with wistful strokes. The excitement in a model's voice as she relates a bit of her life makes me take extra care to mix a color to match her excitement. Skin against silk, a page turning in a book, the sounds in my studio. The shyness in a voice exhaling in an effort to hold still. The silence in the studio is tense and must be broken.
Seldom do I paint strangers, learning about models is as important as knowing my palette and seeing the difference between an Elm tree and an Oak. I listen to why Kim exposes her son to the different religions in the world. How Rose turned her life around and got her PHD, and how Evelyn became a vet specializing in large animals. Painting for me is understanding my inspiration and learning about the dreams of others. Paintings are journals of moments in my life, both past and present.
