Janis H. Sanders | Late Light | Oil on Panel | 40″ X 40” $6800
“This house, this place, this moment are from another time, “ says Janis Sanders about “Late Light.” “Back when there was time…time to look, time to stop, time to absorb, time to imagine.” Anyone can see Maine. It is a true gift to see it through an artist’s eyes, such as Sanders. The show, Maine. As they see it., was created for pieces like this; for artists like this. “’Late Light‘ is a place and a moment and a fragment in an overly hectic world,” Janis explains. “Here there is still a slice of present, of being here, in the here.”
Standing in front of this work, we, as guests, are allowed to create our own backstory. We are allowed to create our own ‘here.’ We wonder about the little home nestled between pine and sea, and we question what went through the artist’s mind as he sat down and began to paint. Ironically, the questions that went through his mind are not that unlike our own. “I was awestruck with this house, the late afternoon light, the furrowed coast rocks at half tide,” remembers Sanders. “When I first saw this scene there was a elegant thin woman in a straw hat standing on her front porch. She was looking across the glimmering water toward the west, her gaze intent on some unknown spot or object. I fell in love!” Part of the wonder of “Late Light” is the fact that it is a reality, not a creation in an artist’s imagination. It is truly a charming scene Janis had the luck of stumbling upon on Five Islands in Georgetown, Maine. Even though he witnessed it, even though he experienced this place himself, still he had questions; questions about the house and questions about the woman.
“Who is she? Was it built for her? Did she build it with her own hands? What does she paint? Does she rise with the sun each day? What is the first thing she sees? What is the last thing she sees? What are the colors and textures of the day? Is there fog? Early day soft salmon colored skies? There is no boat at her dock, how much privacy does she seek? Has she grayed along with the weathered shingles of her home? Have they stood together and built character together through storms and joys on this rugged shore through the many years? Would she speak and reply if addressed answering my inquisitiveness, or would she stand silent, stoic with her porch overflowing with late day sunlight, looking into the distance, following the sun across time?”
In art, there is always room for interpretation from the artist and the viewer. It is important to wonder, to reflect, to speculate. So… the big question… why does Sanders choose not to paint the figure of the woman he fell in love with? We don’t know, but it is a really good question.
If you too have fallen in love with the work of Janis H. Sanders and would like to see more, please visit the gallery at 14 Western Avenue or view it online on his Artist Page. Maine Art Paintings and Sculpture is very proud to have such a wonderful collection of his work. We also welcome you to see the rest of the Maine. As they see it. show at Maine Art Shows, 10 Chase Hill Road in Kennebunk or online at Maine. As they see it.
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