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“My Art Journey: Painting and Perspectives"
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The Studio Christmas Tree: A Holiday Tradition on Canvas
This year, I didn’t just want a Christmas tree in my studio, I needed one. Instead of hauling in a real or fake tree, I painted a 4-foot by 7-foot tree on canvas, capturing the festive spirit in an efficient, creative way. Forget needles on the floor, tangled lights, and curious pets; a painted Christmas tree is a pet-friendly, space-saving solution that you can roll up and reuse every year. It’s messy, vibrant, and totally unique. Just like the holidays. Every brushstroke of my painted tree tells a story, celebrating the messy, joyful spirit of the season. It’s imperfect in the best way, making it a cherished holiday tradition in my studio.
The Perfect Baby Gift – Why a Landscape Painting is Just Right
A landscape painting makes a unique and timeless baby gift, offering a personal and sentimental touch that a child can grow into. Imagine giving a baby their very first oil painting. It is a piece that evolves from nursery décor to a lifelong keepsake. Landscapes are calming, universal, and abstract enough to spark creativity. As a daily painter, I love creating textured, impressionistic pieces with palette knives that feel both meaningful and fun. Art is more than decoration, it is a connection, a gift that stands the test of time and grows with the child, sharing something meaningful beyond mere aesthetics.
What a Tiny Painting Taught Me About Scale
I've always leaned toward painting large. Most of my landscapes measure at least 5 by 6 feet, with some stretching to 4 by 8 feet. Enter my new obsession: small-scale impressionistic landscapes. These pieces are tiny compared to what I’m used to—think 5 by 7 inches instead of feet. Despite its size, that painting felt enormous and practically dominated his living room. How did the artist pull that off? I still don’t know.
Landscape Painting Process: Chaos, Lines, and Instinct
My landscape art process is driven by rhythm, instinct, and letting the canvas guide me, without following any rules. I paint anywhere—beaches, foothills, fields—because the location doesn't matter. It's all about the lines, colors, and the rhythm of the process. Painting is trial and error; I put paint down, move it around, and stop when I'm too tired to keep going, then grab another canvas.
A Cat's Critique: Finding Art in the Everyday
When your toughest art critic is a cat with opinions about mountains, you know you're in for an interesting day in the studio. Living on the edge of urban and rural life gives me a unique perspective; one day I'm painting cityscapes, the next I'm capturing the gentle roll of farmland that stretches just beyond our neighborhood. These solo painting trips are my form of meditation. It's just me, my easel, and the landscape—no phone notifications, no deadlines, just the quiet conversation between artist and nature, while my cat casts judgmental glances at my canvases.
Capturing the Spirit of Agriculture in Paint
"Facing West" captures the essence of farmland life, honoring the connection between land and people with textured layers and bold colors that pulse with the same energy that drives the fields. More than a landscape, "Facing West" is a tribute to the farmers and the resilient relationship they hold with the land—every stroke is a thank-you to their labor and love. This painting is about more than what the fields look like; it’s about how they feel—alive, enduring, and tied to the heartbeat of the land, honoring both the beauty and hard work behind it.
Painting Autumn: the Season’s Changing Beauty
Painting fall outdoors feels like capturing a fleeting moment in motion. Each brushstroke brings the unpredictability of the season to life, reflecting that hesitant quality—the unsure, unfolding beauty that makes autumn feel alive. With thick, impasto strokes, I let the deep, warm colors of fall spill across the canvas. It’s more than copying nature; it’s celebrating the bold arrival of amber and gold against the memory of summer’s green, each stroke a burst of change. Embracing fall’s tentative nature, my paintings capture its quiet start and the energy in every fading leaf. It’s raw, a bit messy, and all about bringing autumn’s hesitant hand to life.
Plein Air: Painting Feelings, Not Scenes
andscape; I’m in it, reacting to it. The sound of wind through the trees, the smell of the earth, or the way the sky shifts color as the sun drops—it all filters into my work. Even though the result might not resemble what’s in front of me, it feels like I’ve captured something real.
The Human Side of Painting Farmland in Impressionistic Style
What really touches me most is the human side of farmland. Winter and fall expose the bone structure of the land, and that’s what I love to capture in my art—the feeling of raw honesty that comes through those bare fields. When I paint a landscape, it’s not about copying the scene exactly. I want to capture the emotion, the meaning behind it.
The Farmer and the Artist: Creating Something from Nothing
Living in a big farming community in Ventura means I’m surrounded by agricultural fields, where farmers and artists share a special bond, both creating something from nothing. Standing in those fields and staring at the endless rows of crops, I can’t help but feel that connection. While farmers plant seeds and watch them grow, I’m over here trying to mix the right colors to bring a scene to life.
A Break from the Studio: Painting Landscapes in the Open Air
Explore the transformative experience of painting outdoors, where the freedom of nature inspires creativity. Step away from the studio to embrace the alla prima technique, capturing fleeting moments in a single sitting. This refreshing break fosters mindfulness, allowing for a deeper connection to the surroundings. Each painting is a testament to the beauty and imperfection found in nature.
Trusting the Process: My Journey Through Doubt and Creativity
Sometimes when I’m in front of the canvas, I don’t have a solid plan; I just show up and let things unfold, trusting my gut even when the vision isn’t clear, which often leads me to unexpected places. I’ve learned to embrace the uncertainty in my process, realizing that while there’s pressure to be perfect, it’s more about the journey than getting it "right." The work becomes less about the end product and more about expressing what’s inside me, and though doubt and criticism will always be there, they can’t stop me from creating
Blending Nature and Art
Living where the city meets the countryside, I’ve found endless inspiration in the farm fields around me. These fields aren’t just patches of land; they’re living, breathing canvases that change with the seasons. What I love most about these landscapes is their emotional depth. Each field tells a story of hope, despair, plenty, and want. It’s a constant cycle of change, much like life itself. Expressionism is at the core of my work. I strive to capture the essence of these landscapes with passion and intensity. Each painting is a celebration of the beauty around us, a testament to the power of nature-inspired art.
“The Story of Creating “Air Going South’”
Standing in front of my easel while working on ‘Air Going South,’ I feel a deep connection to the creative process. Each stroke of the palette knife tells a story of choices made in the moment, blending intention with freedom. This abstract landscape painting by John Robertson captures the beauty of exploration and the courage to embrace the unexpected, revealing a scene that feels both familiar and new.
"The Art of Conveying Emotion in Landscape Painting"
In “Gleesome Saunter over Fields,” I explore how colors and lines come together to convey more than just a landscape. It’s not about the field itself but about capturing the essence of the moment, the feeling of standing in that space. This piece is about the flow of energy and the dance of textures on the canvas.
"The Art of Letting Go”
In 'Soft Loam,' I explore the delicate balance between intention and spontaneity in my art. As the brush moves across the canvas, the painting begins to take on a life of its own, evolving in ways I hadn't initially planned. It's this unpredictability that keeps the creative process exciting, allowing the colors and textures to find their own path. This blog post delves into the journey of creating 'Soft Loam,' where trusting the process led to a surprising and meaningful result.
How the Horizon Shapes My Semi-Abstract Landscapes
the significance of the horizon line—a line shaped by a lifetime of ocean views. This blog delves into how that simple line provides a foundation for my art, connecting the viewer to the piece and offering a sense of direction in abstraction.
"Exploring the Cathartic, Expressive Nature of Art
Art has a unique power to cleanse and renew the spirit. "On the Horizon" reflects this process through rough textures and sweeping lines. This painting is a journey of letting go and embracing the courage to express originality, evoking emotions that connect us to something deeper.