Night Light

(c) Maggie Siner, 2016

Lately my thoughts have been turning to my upcoming painting trip to France. Even though I don't depart for over a month, there are a lot of preparations involved, so it's not too early to start planning. I don't want to travel halfway around the world, and then realize that I forgot to pack something that would have made my work easier!

Week #1 of my trip will be spent in a workshop under the fantastic instruction of Maggie Siner. We will be painting the landscape in Provence. Summer days are long in Provence,

Desert Dreams

From Lesley's sketchbook

My recent trip to California included time in Palm Springs. Though I had visited the area before, I had never spent time in the heart of the desert. I mean the real thing--this is the territory of sand, wind, rocks, cactus, and scorching sun. You might think that this sort of landscape would be impossibly bleak, but I found that it has its own startling beauty. Against such a stark backdrop, the smallest blossom is remarkable.

My husband and I stayed with relatives, using their little "casita" in the desert. It was a total immersion experience--seeing, hearing, and breathing the life of the desert. We were ringed

Under the Influence

"Under the Influence"-- I'm not talking about alcohol, but rather the sway of another person. We are all subject to various influences, and lately the idea of how one artist influences another has been at the front of my mind. My thoughts were first stimulated by seeing the wonderful Matisse/Diebenkorn exhibit at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The entire show is an exploration of the influence that Matisse had on Diebenkorn--even though they never met! 

Left: Diebenkorn; Right, Matisse

The catalog for this show included an essay about "influences" in the world of art. I especially loved the words from the great poet T.S. Eliot: "A poet cannot help being influenced, therefore he should subject himself to as many influences a spossible, in order to escape from any one influence." I love this idea. It is too easy, especially for a visual