Light and Shadow Spotlight

We randomly select a few pieces from each themed show to share on our online gallery. The three which came up this time relate to each other remarkably well; each is a small, dramatic landscape rendered in oil.

Please enjoy this brief glimpse from our first themed show of the year, Light and Shadow, Jan-Feb 2024.

 

Morning Nichols

Morning Nichols  WHISTLING BY NIGHT  Oil

How does your artwork relate to the theme of the show?

My image of the man walking at night into the lights of the oncoming cars, struck me when I saw him that night…. I watched him as he moved along the sidewalk and it was one of those special “moments in time.’ I saw him and couldn’t forget the image. This is the memory in paint.
As the theme is “Shadows and Light,” I thought this would be perfect, as that is what it was…bright lights from the cars, illuminating a figure in motion, in the dark of night.
This image is a bit different for me, as I am generally painting what I see in the natural world. This is the unnatural world! With cement, head lights on moving vehicles and a fast moving moment in time. It caught in my mind and memory.

 

Abigail Murthy

Abigail Murthy  PESCADERO BEACH  Oil

How does your artwork relate to the theme of the show?

I wanted to capture the subdued light that winter brings. This scene was caught before sunset, the rains had just stopped and the sun was trying to break through. It gave the shore a nice patina and the light cast a beautiful glow through the carved rock entryway.

What was the first artwork you created that really mattered to you?

It was an acrylic painting of Tuolumne’s West Farthing Wall which I made seven years ago with a beginner acrylic painting set, cheap brushes and a badly constructed canvas frame. It was the first artwork I made that gave me the confidence to pursue landscape painting

What is the most important artist tool that you use in your practice?

Aside from a pocket sketchbook, I have to have a really good bristle brush when I’m painting. And by that I mean the brush has to be overworked and whittled down enough to give me some good textured lines.

What is a little known fact about yourself that you would like to share?

A little known fact that I’d like to share is that I also love painting animal portraits in oil! I love seeing the happiness when the pet-parents receive them! I’ve only done a handful so far but I’m exploring it more and more!

Do you have any upcoming projects that you would like to share?

I’m still working on a group of Yosemite paintings which I wish I could show in the near future, but together with that,  I am also painting some familiar scenes around the coast and offering those as prints and blank cards at some retail stores.

 

 

Sheila Finch

Sheila Finch    STORM CLOUDS     Oil

How does your artwork relate to the theme of the show?
I created Storm Clouds after experiencing a stunning chaotic storm on the Peninsula in early December. I was ‘over the hill’ delivering a large painting donation for the Dart for Art event with the Lymelight Foundation when the weather turned really bad… high winds and rain. Traffic was a mess in San Mateo (I witnessed two accidents!) and I questioned the wisdom of my decision to be on the road. However, amid the chaos, nature presented me with a breathtaking gift: the bright glow of dramatic golden clouds gracing the dark coastal mountains. Over the following days, I translated this experience onto canvas, capturing the essence of that moment of light against shadow.
What is the most important artist tool that you use in your practice?
I’d have to say that listening to beautiful music with headphones on is my most important tool. The music inspires me and is mood-elevating, and keeps my monkey-mind or inner critic quiet, so I can just do the work intuitively to capture my vision. I’m just so much more productive!
Do you have any upcoming projects you would like to share?
I’ve found that I really enjoy making videos documenting my work. I hope to get more painting videos up on Youtube this year and hopefully offer inspiration for others to pick up a brush and start painting. I spent two years creating two oil painting classes for Skillshare, which was immensely gratifying. I would also like to start teaching classes in person.