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Sunday, April 20, 2008

Dark Comedy

SOLD
First I'd like to thank everyone who has been so helpful with suggestions/comments and emails concerning my hard drive. I have very much missed keeping up with all the blogs I visit daily. I hope to get totally caught up with everyone and everything soon. Thank you all so much!

While struggling with this painting and with my lingering winter, I happened to be reading a book about the history of color in art, and one chapter dealt with black. The most interesting line suddenly leapt off the page. It was that Matisse made the observation that Manet and Renoir turned “black into a light.” Suddenly it all made sense to me, not in the way Matisse had intended, but it was just the thing I needed to hear. I immediately saw light everywhere, in my bow and in my winter. I was able to finish up this painting with the thought that I already knew, but just needed to be reminded of. That thought is not just that there will always be light in the dark, but that by trying to understand my dark I can turn it into a light. And sure enough, as I’ve finally finished up this painting, the first signs of spring have come.

11 comments:

Christine Bray said...

I love the lights hitting the left side of the presents and then the very dark on the right side. This painting is magnificant and beautiful. Great name for the painting. Stunning lights/darks and colors and textures. It was worth the wait!

Unknown said...

Love the title and the painting, a real beauty to say the least! The contrast is wonderful between the lights and dark, which really makes the colors pop!

Cheryl Pass said...

Hip Hip hooray....glad you are back on! Hope you got it all straightened out! :-)
My husband always uses the funny papers as wrapping paper...he says he's too cheap to buy the other stuff.... But I think it's cute!

It is a perfect title...especially if they are birthday presents!

Debbie Miller said...

Welcome back Karen!!

kathrynlaw said...

Beautiful, Karen. And it's a relief to know you're still painting, and making it through the dark season.

Karen Appleton said...

Thank you all for such wonderful comments! Thanks for all your encouragement!

Helen Read said...

absolutely stunning! There's a lot to see and to enjoy in this :)
Glad you are back after the hard drive crash!

Jason Waskey said...

Welcome back, Karen! GREAT way to start anew...

Anonymous said...

Yay! You're back!
What a great title for this painting. Excellent work, as usual.

Molly Mansfield said...

oh I love this piece. the mood is terrific!

Mary Sheehan Winn said...

just wonderful. I love your work.