"September at the Pond"Oil on Panel
24x30"
2008
I could be the president of the Clyde Aspevig fan club (seriously), so I was totally excited to see an interview with him in American Artist last month. You can read the whole thing here, and he gives some good general advice to painters, but it was his last statement that totally resonated with me as a landscape painter:
"I’m trying to be the best that I can be as a human being. Art is the vehicle with which I have the best chance of leaving behind something of worth. I hope my paintings will always inspire people to become a part of nature rather than a force that manipulates and destroys it."Sometimes I have a hard time verbalizing what I'm trying to do with my art, and what it all means, but he says it so effortlessly here. Not that I'm surprised!
Every once in a while you get introduced to a kindred spirit. Thank you for introducing me to Clyde Aspervig. I had not heard of him before. Love both his art and philosophy.
ReplyDeleteHe lives in Montana, too. That is my wife's home state. That makes him even cooler.
I love this painting!!! Such great color!!! How are you? Wish we could have come up this weekend- hope to see you soon and catch up. Just hang out and be together~~ miss you!
ReplyDeletebess
Stacey, partly inspired by your example, I'm working on getting clearer about my goals and plan to post them as you do (yikes!). Now you've upped the ante. This looks very much like a mission statement. It would feel good to get this clear. I'm going to work on that.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful painting. It highlights your thoughts in this post so well. Reflective on the beauty around you in search of the deeper sense of creation.
ReplyDeleteThere must be a reason heart rhymes with art.
Stacy--these last few paintings are just wonderful. The two with the aspens each in different light harken back to another painting you did some months ago that troubled you--and that some anonymous person really criticized you for. I'm glad you got beyond that and had the guts to sort of restate your work. I look forward to more.
ReplyDeleteOoh, this is a lovely one. Love the colors.
ReplyDeleteMike - consider yourself introduced to the best living landscape painter in America. He's amazing!!
ReplyDeleteBess - I miss you guys too =( You need to look at the calendar and come up with a date to come visit!
Susan - I don't know if I would go so far as to call it a mission statement, but I read this and felt that it perfectly described what I'm aiming for with my art, and why I do it every day!
Thanks Peter - this is one of those quiet, reflective places where I could sit on a rock and think all day.
Jack - yes, I've been working on painting those aspen trees, and I think I'm finally making some headway!! Just takes practice, I guess...
Shannon - so, basically you're telling me you want a painting of aspens in lovely fall colors for your wedding present?