Style

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What is style?

For some time now, I have been trying to find my style. This, in spite of knowing that a style evolves over time of practice, learning, trying, taking risks. I know that I am drawn to several artists for different reasons, sometimes inconsistently so.

Charles Reid - my very first influence - for his linkage, connection, his control of the brush, and apparently careless style, wateriness, and overall transparency. I love his alla prima style - no layering/glazing for him. Just apply the color unfussily, let it mingle and it's the right value.

Shirley Trevena – for her use of bold color, spectacular pattern, and texture, overall composition, and especially, her irreverence to perspective

Jeanne Dobie - for her use of large areas of whites, passage, beautiful neutrals, and overall composition

George James – for his stunning composition, abstraction, a narrative in the painting, balance of shapes

Kate Osborne – for her transparent color and watermarks - very illustrative quality of work

Jean Haines – for her overall looseness, brilliant color applied seemingly haphazardly, and watermarks

Jean Warren – for her abstraction, overlapping shapes, and passages of white

Laurel Hart - for her triads and value sketches, and methodical approach to glazing, layering, and staying transparent through it all.

Iain Stewart - for his compositions, architectural eye to detail, and beautiful glazes. 

My style is trying to be a blend of all this - of all that I like - yet, with the subjects that I am drawn to. When I stop in my tracks and see something I want to paint, I want to understand why I stopped, and how I can best translate what I see right there on to paper. My style will evolve.....

This is from a picture I took in Mountain View of a woman sitting on some steps checking her phone.






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