I'm still working on this series of sunrises. Early mornings. Clear cold light or soft misty light.
Pieces like these force me to learn about the pigment, edges, the power of suggestion. The small lines that tell big stories.
This one is a favorite for me because I painted it at the end of last semester and left it in the studio. Claire came out that night and spent several miserable hours fighting with university software to submit a project and at midnight, frustrated and trying to keep it together until the thing finally submitted, she looked over and saw the painting. She said it helped her get through.
In the morning I came out and found a pink post-it above the painting that said: ' I like this. Claire' with an arrow pointing down to the painting.
In the middle of a miserable night, this little study managed to make someone feel better about what they were doing. Better enough to actually write a note about it.
Claire's seal of approval is the best compliment I've ever gotten, especially knowing what she was going through that night.
If there's any reason for me to continue painting and posting, it's that one. To provide a quite space to feel one's feelings, to pause and breathe, and continue on.
[p.s. She got an A in the class.]