‘Cloudscapes’ aren’t something Witbeck ever focused too much time on. Yet, like everything else, that has changed. Into the Light is one of those pieces where the clouds became the central focus of the piece. “I spent time working on the boat wake, motoring into the sunrise,” he says. “It is a detail that needed to be added, but I was surprised at the difficulty of such a simple thing. It is a rarity that I paint a ‘pretty painting.’ With the brilliant yellow and the purple clouds, this one is indeed pretty.”
Tag: Artist Insights
It’s Where You Look and How You See – Artist Insights from Bethany Harper Williams
“There are few things I tried to focus on as I worked on this show. I became much more aware of ‘from where’ and ‘how’ I looked at things. I found myself studying the same things from a different angle,” shares Bethany. “ A great deal of the time, I tried to look beyond or past or through. Whether it was ordinary objects, house, people, or even shapes.”
The Boys are Back in Town – Artist Insights from David Witbeck
Mort, Theo, Erik, Bryce, Mac, and Winston. They work the local docks. They are Mainers, born and raised. They are coastal life personified. They are the iconic fisherman of David Witbeck.
Acrylic and Paper, Yes Paper, on Canvas – Artist Insights from Ryan Kohler 2021
I’ve had great luck with just acrylic paintings over the years, and there’s nothing wrong with just stopping there, but I am always looking for ways to spice up my process, and incorporate new techniques to push my paintings into new territory.
The Traveling Artist – Insights from Artist Claire Bigbee 2021
I was stunned at this magnificent sight of rolling hills and eye-popping colors. I hadn’t ever heard of the blueberry barrens, so this was a real treat for me to paint. The wind kept blowing my easel down, so I finally gave in and painted the canvas on the ground. I spent the day there alone, soaking in the electric range of colors and absolute solitude. The barrens were more than I imagined and well worth the trip and funny moments that usually occur on a painting trip.
Pop-Up with Artist Sue Dion
I hope that while viewing my art, people experience the subject of the painting on a different level and develop a more intimate connection to it. It is this emotional response to my work that I value most and what drives my art.
Moving from Dark to Light with COLOR – Artist Insights from Erika Manning
“When my world felt very small and was extremely turbulent and stressful, it also was winter in Maine. I desperately needed to bring the light back not only into my life but into others as well. It was all feeling like this huge alchemical squeezing, this pressure,” shares artist Erika Manning. “Then, after a while, something interesting and maybe lovely started to happen creatively.”
The Defining Influence of Color – Insights from Artist Charles Bluett
Color, without question a defining influence on all my works. Bright, monochrome, dark, or translucent color is the main feature of any work I create and the inspiration behind my work.
Paintings Born Out of Paintings – Artist Insights from R. Scott Baltz
“It just happens, a little something, a different stroke or a little more medium,” he explains. “It stimulates an idea within myself that says, ‘Hmmm.’ During these ah-ha moments, I realize I should consider taking that idea another step in my next painting.”
A Little History – Insights from Artist Erika Manning
Artist Erika Manning grew up in Maine and promptly left as soon as she graduated high school, professing she would never return. At this writing, she has been here for twenty-five years. “I kind of flirt with wanting to travel and live somewhere else. However, the pull of this amazing place has kept me here,”… Read more »