What Are You Really Good At?

Community Watch watercolor 5 x 7 matted to 8 x 10 Available

Community Watch

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon in south France, a special 40^th wedding anniversary trip with other painters to picturesque Frayssinet.  Since little was open on Sunday, we attended a small local flea market in a nearby town where modern “gypsies” living in RV’s set up stalls, not unlike our flea market vendors in Raleigh. We roamed the stalls, but came away without any souvenirs or even ideas for paintings.

Afterwards we drove to another charming town, Salviac. We ended up in a main plaza, where all roads seemed to lead. Here, like bees swarming around the plaza, our group of painters was abuzz taking reference photos for future paintings−vintage buildings, doors, alleys, and flowers. The plaza held a tavern, a church, cafes, shops, a beauty salon, second story apartments, and a WWII memorial.  Exhausted, we sat in the shade in the plaza.  Looking up through the branches of a tree, I spied the friendly face of a grandmotherly woman looking down at us from above her flower box of bright red geraniums. We exchanged smiles.  The light caught across her face as she rested her elbows on the sill. I instantly knew the painting I wanted to do. (She happily agreed to a photo.) 

This woman knew the story of her town.  I saw no malice in her knowing. If I were Detective Hercule Poirot, she’d be my “go-to” woman!

I’m often asking myself, when I look at my work, what are its strengths and weaknesses?  I usually focus on technical aspects. The best painters excel in technical expertise, yet reveal individual expression.  What qualities do I have that will help me reveal my artistic individuality?

Originally a student of cultural anthropology, I’ve always been interested in my community. My curiosity has led me to wandering the neighborhoods of all the places I’ve traveled to or lived in.  Different seasons and different times of day yield so many subjects to paint!  Whenever possible I take the most direct means to explore, walking.  Though I’m naturally shy, by taking the bus or subway I’ve learned to talk to strangers, and found out about local places. I believe my curiosity about my community gives me an open eye to a variety of subject matter, and usually a number of good stories as well.

Sometimes I don’t always understand why I select a subject, it just “appeals” to me.  But then later I recall an associated memory.  I hope my paintings do this for my viewers.  In the last few years I’ve consciously tried to develop the story-telling aspect of my artwork.  I like my paintings to suggest a story to my viewer, and I like to write stories about my paintings, such as the story associated with the little watercolor Community Watch above. (more information here)

Cultivate the qualities that make you distinctive.

A portion of my sales go to support bee/pollinator conservation.  Why?  Because I add beeswax to my oil paints, paint and consume the beautiful flowers, fruits and vegetables those bees and other pollinators provide.

Thank you for reading. If you enjoy my essays, please share with your family and friends.  I’d like to hear from YOU!  Please leave comments and questions.

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My paintings are available at ---

802-A N. 4th Street, Wilmington, NC 28401 and online at Sheffield Art Studio

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Fine Art America FAA (for prints) http://1-sarah-sheffield.fineartamerica.com/

Packing Memories

We just took one of those trips where we dipped into the past and dipped into the future. A foot in both places. We traveled to Key West, Florida.  Walt has memories of traveling through the Keys as a teenager, fishing in the waters, and a boyhood friend.  This childhood friend, who he most associates with Key West, died unexpectedly just before we left for the trip; we thought and spoke of him as we drove along the highway into Key West and often during our stay. 

"Once A Refuge"  Oil Pastel Sketch

It was my first journey to this area of Florida and it was chosen as an outdoor oil painting vacation.  As the time approached for the trip, I had misgivings about the oil painting.  I had just finished a 30/30 challenge (30 paintings in 30 days) in September, had recently participated in some plein air events, and worked hard on several exhibits.  I wanted a break from my usual oil painting routine.  I packed a traveling set of watercolors.  Then I looked through my art cabinet and pulled out an old box of art materials that had belonged to my art teacher mother.  Many, many years had passed since her death. These supplies were a tangible connection between us and our love of art, and I hadn’t wanted to consume them.  But I was now ready to use the beautiful colored conte′ crayons and oil pastels, and honor the enjoyment she had with them.  So I packed them in my suitcase with some suitable paper.  Here was a gift of new possibilities from my mother just waiting to be opened.

Key West Lighthouse watercolor sketch

We packed another memory for this trip—the memory of a painting my grandfather, an accomplished architect and watercolorist, had done of the Key West lighthouse.  It was a delight for us to find the spot from which he viewed the lighthouse and sketch it ourselves.

At this time of Thanksgiving and thoughts of family, I am especially aware how grateful I am for my artistic heritage. The memories we recalled reinforced our feelings about just how enhanced are lives are even as we are saddened by losses long past and near past.  We’re indebted and appreciative in the most enthusiastic way.

"Waiting for Baby" oil

The NOW is bringing a NEW gift with unlimited possibility —a grandchild and grand-parenthood!  

(I'll tell you in the next issue if I'm a grandmother and also about what we saw in Key West, artists we met, and about six-toed cats and sandwich-eating chickens!)

If you want to be the first to know about exhibits and discounts, sign up for my NEWSLETTER email list on the home page of Sheffield Art Studio.

Thank you for reading. If you enjoy my essays, please share with your family and friends.  I’d like to hear from YOU!  Please leave comments and questions.  

My paintings are available at my studio in Cary, NC, online at Sheffield Art Studio and at my Daily Paintworks Gallery (see also clickable link above right)

Please LIKE me at my FACEBOOK Fan Page.

The Road Renewed

It’s been a long time since I’ve written any thoughts about painting or travels.  Poor health had sent me into an uninspired and un-spirited period.  But the non-painting period allowed me to think about my art−how I want to connect with the viewer, what I want it to reflect, my subject matter, and my style and technique.  I’m refocused!

In the next few posts I will be sharing my recent travels to stunning Sedona, Arizona (and one also to beautiful Door County, Wisconsin) and the photos, thoughts, sketches and studio paintings that resulted from the renewal I’ve experienced walking in the beautiful State Parks and National Forests at each of these locations. 

The first day in Sedona we set out for Red Rock Loop Road and Red Rock Crossing Park.  I very quickly found a shady spot along Oak Creek within site of the famous Cathedral Rock.  Because I’ve decided I’m best a painter of intimate scenes, not monumental landscapes, I chose to sketch the handsome western sycamores along the sandstone banks.

What I experienced—think crisp, clear dry air, gentle cascading creek, cottonwood pollen floating gently by, soft sandstone path beneath my feet, challenging rocks and tree roots, spring desert colors from almost white to yellow to yellow-greens to olive greens, blues, purples and the full spectrum of brown to flaming reds and oranges. Exhale! 

Cathedral Rock-much painted by others. I'm looking for the intimate

"Sycamore Shadows" A watercolor field sketch

My watercolor sketches will be the basis for larger studio works.

Cary Gallery of Artists 200 S. Academy St. in downtown Cary Ashworth Village for these and other paintings. 919-462-2035 Mon-Sat 11am - 5:30 pm.

In the Wilmington area, works available at Figments Gallery, 1319 Military Cutoff, Landfall Shopping Center  Wilmington, NC 28405 910.509.4289

www.sheffieldartstudio.com