| As long as I can remember,
I have been fascinated by light and shadow. I grew up on an old fashioned
farm with orchards and sheds and a large barn. By day I observed
the dappled patterns created by sunlight shining through leafy apple trees.
"the illumination from kerosene
lamps made glowing colors dance"
By night the illumination from kerosene lamps made glowing colors dance
on faces, walls and furniture. Kerosene lanterns were hung high in
strategic places in the cow barn during milking time.
When I began my career as an artist,
these ingrained impressions influenced how I used color to indicate this
luminous light. My seascapes have been described as being "lit from
within". I had no idea then that what I was doing was to be described
as "Luminist" painting. A Luminist is, (as you may well have
presumed by the name) one who uses the illusion of light to
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create paintings that glow. Since this
technique was a "natural" for me, I didn't recognize this as a special
style of painting until a respected artist and teacher pointed it out to
me. He referred to the "Luminist School of painting". I was
delighted that my way of creating glowing light in my work had a name!
"It is in my oils, my gouache paintings,
my watercolors, my pastel work!"
LUMINIST! Luminism! It is in my oils, my gouache paintings,
my watercolors, my pastel work! It is in my life. I still observe
the sunlight and shadows. I still watch for light to caress soft
skin and to illuminate homes, streets, animals and farms, boats and harbors.
LUMINIST is what I am and LUMINIST is what I shall always be. When
my paintings glow from the way I use light, it is a reflection of me.
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