Capital "T" Truths

I am taking a Shakespeare course this winter, and have learned that the Great Bard himself occasionally misstated a few historical facts. But as the wise instructor of my class says, those small factual misstatements did not prevent Shakespeare from capturing the true reality of the human experience, in all of its glory. In other words, Shakespeare might not have gotten all of the "small t" truths right, but he definitely got the "Capital T" Truths right!

"Wheatfield with Cypresses"
Vincent van Gogh

I believe that all art involves the search for "Capital T Truths". When painting, I sometimes recall a quote attributed to Tolstoy: "Facts stand in the way of Truth". Put differently, the slavish painting of every telephone pole, every fence post, every leaf on every tree, does not

Happy Valentine's Day!

"Three Stems"
8 x 8, Oil on Panel
(c) Lesley Powell 2015
(Available here)

Wishing you a
Happy Valentine's Day!

"Soft Pink"
Oil on Linen, 8 x 10
(c) Lesley Powell 2015
(Available here)

It's All in the Mix!

Jamie Drake/Architectural Digest

There are many different approaches to painting, and there are probably as many different "styles" of painting as there are painters. The key for a painter is to find his or her unique voice and approach. And I believe that the key for a collector is to find what speaks to him or her, and to assemble a collection of varied styles that speak to each other.

Suzanne Kasler for Kravat Fabrics

Too many paintings of the same style in one collection can become repetitive. This dulls the magic of the collection. But collectors who can master the "art of the mix" will be rewarded. 

Seeing a Shadow

What better time to write about shadows than now, approaching Groundhog Day! As we wonder whether the groundhog will see his shadow, I am thinking about shadows in my paintings. Sometimes it is a struggle to get shadow shapes and colors correct. 

(c) Peggi Kroll Roberts

One issue is that a shadow varies in intensity. The "core" of a shadow tends to be very dark, but the edges tend to be lighter. Or, as Leonardo da Vinci said  more poetically: