A Bump in the Road

Last night we went to a reception at the Cornell Museum of Arts & American Culture at the Old School Square (http://www.oldschool.org/cornell.asp) in Delray. We saw an exceptional exhibit of watercolors and oil paintings by artist Dean Lamont Mitchell (for information about the artist see (http://www.askart.com). Mr. Mitchell's paintings showcase his expertise in brush control. Some of his paintings can almost be broken down into simple geometric patterns. And yet the patterns combine to create a realistic interpretation of his subjects. Beautiful!

The bump in the road for my own artistic journey in trying to find my own style is that lately I have been experimenting with much freer brushwork. Trying to get a softer look with more depth I have been working not only with more paint on my brush but with less regard for hard edges. The painting above, while not complete, demonstrates this style on the left side of the house. I added more texture because I felt the house felt too flat. In my mind each side has its good and bad points. While I do believe that the subject matter will usually dictate painting style, sometimes, as in this case, its hard to determine which way to go. Clearly, though, both styles don't work on one building!