The Exquisite Light (artistic expressions just sound prettier in French)
On some days there is a certain time between afternoon and twilight (or sunrise and dawn), where the light becomes magical, something special that makes me pause and stare. One of the driving forces behind my painting is a constant urge to capture the lighting effects of that time of day- the exquisite lighting. It’s not just a sunset, but a precious point where, through some affect of sky, dust, or atmosphere, the beams of light that strike the objects from the side create all sorts of bright colors and make the world glow like a painting- before I even make up the canvas.
Most artists intuitively know that the best time to take photos is during this time, either in the early morning or late afternoon. This sort of “sideways” light create the best shadows which not only creates drama and intrigue but also makes it easier to draw or paint, by making all the lines crisper. It’s a like a cheat sheet, but more honest.
Upon finishing my latest painting, I went back through my portfolio and sorta realized how many pieces of mine have been based upon this magical time of day. My subjects have always varied from year to year with not a whole lot of consistency. However, as I went back through a few of them, I realized one thread they all have (whether a figure, an interior, a landscape, or building), is that I have always done my best to capture a moment during the most striking, natural lighting conditions where I had my camera on hand.
For me, it’s not always been the exact subjects I’ve painted (which I do still love), but more about the exquisite lighting I’ve spontaneously found them in.