# 51 - A Painter's Click

                                                                 Entree de Douvres

                                                                       Vieux Luc

                                                             Coquelicots a Tierceville

Fellow Art Lovers:

It’s interesting how real progress can come when it’s not at all expected, and when viewed after the fact, like a Sunday-morning quarterback, it can seem like the most natural event in the world.

That happened to me about five days ago, and – surprisingly – it had to do with painting.

I’ve always done a lot of sketching, because it’s a pleasure, it’s useful in planning paintings, and it comes very naturally to me.  Recently, here in Normandy, I’ve started giving hosts original sketches of some of the scenes I love when we’re invited to their homes for lunch or dinner. I find this more personal than a bottle of wine or a bouquet of flowers. 

Recently, looking at a number of dinners coming up, I decided to do maybe four or five sketches of some of my favorite places in Normandy, just to prepare for the coming dinners. Then, perhaps the next afternoon, I picked a spot to paint and set up my material.

Then something clicked.  I swear, my brush just started flying over the canvas, first in dark tones, and then gradually in lighter and lighter tones for the highlights of trees and fields and clouds and sky. Then, almost automatically, I brightened the colors and filled in important areas of highlight and reflection.

What had happened? First of all, I’ve been painting a lot here recently, and my strokes have become more and more confident. But more important, perhaps, I think I picked up for painting some of the gestures I make for sketching – with all of their speed and ease. The result was the painting, ”Entrée de Douvres.” Then, the next day, the same thing happened with the painting, “Vieux Luc.” It just seemed to right and natural.

I’m not going to go on forever about my pursuit of freedom, because I talk a lot about that, and you’re probably getting a little tired of it. All I will do is present three of the paintings I’ve done recently for you to judge for yourselves.

As I mentioned in my last blog posting, I’m only bringing back a few of the paintings I’ve done here in Normandy, because I’m planning to have an exhibit here. So, if you’re struck by anything I’ve shown in my last few blog postings, please let me know.

You’ll be able to see a few new Normandy paintings if you e-mail me or when you visit my studio during POST (Philadelphia Open Studio Tours) on Oct. 25 and 26.  

Thanks for listening, and thanks for your time. As always, I’d love to hear your comments.

Best,

Bill