Unleashed

Unleashed

OK. So what the heck is this? It's a place that existed only in my imagination before I painted it. My imagination tends toward the fun and foolish. My motto is "If it isn't fun, I ain't doing it!"

What we have here (in case you can't tell) in this mythical place is a calm pool in the background and the water rushing out in the foreground, with wildflowers on the hillsides watching the festivities.  I kinda wonder what else exists behind those wildflower covered hills? I'll bet five bucks there are some teepees back in there.

Walker

Bird Man

Bird Man

I don't know exactly what this is. Just another fantasy of mine. I'm sure it is inspired by American Indian images I have seen somewhere along the way. Certainly, not local, probably further south.

Also, I was wanting to play around with the idea of feathers, what brush to use and the stroke. I love my freewheeling, undisciplined way of painting but the downside is when I'm done I have absolutely no idea how I did what I did. It's a bit of a problem when I wish to recreate the effect. Every painting is truly original, even to me.

Walker

Blowing Through The Jasmine In My Mind

Blowing Through The Jasmine in My Mind

When I first started to see this painting take shape, as so often happens, a song began playing in my mind but I couldn't get a handle on it. I could hear the melody and the lyrics "summer breeze" but just couldn't pull it out. The best I could come up with was Landscape of My Mind so I went with it. Just a moment ago, the melody still wafting in my mind, I had a Eureka moment and there it was Seals and Crofts Summer Breeze. Maybe it doesn't work because Jasmine are generally white but that's beauty of imagination isn't it? Maybe Canyons In My Mind would be better?

I was in an expansive frame of mind so I treated my mind to a little color therapy. I've been looking at a lot of impressionist paintings lately; Monet, Manet, Van Gogh. Maybe that's where it came from. I can just stare at beautiful colors like these and be transported to another more peaceful place. Gads, I love color.

I tried like crazy to get the true colors of this painting. You'll have to take my word for it the actual painting is, to my way of thinking, prettier. Don't know why I couldn't get it right. Probably a light problem. It's fixing to snow and there's not a lot of natural light to be had. It's still very nice this way.

Walker

Monet Must Be Spinning In His Grave

Once upon a time, when I chose to express my creativity with a camera, I took a photograph which would become one of my all time favorites. I entitled it "Monet Aspen" To me it looks like a Monet only it is a Mother Nature Monet. I think Monet would have liked it too. It is a photograph of aspen trees reflected on a pond in Montana. I adore Monet and impressionism.

The other day I decided to try and paint the photograph. I suppose I should have known better but I couldn't help myself.

Monet Aspen - The Photograph

Monet Aspen - The Painting

 Well, what is one to say? I just have to laugh at myself. If Monet were to view my painting I am certain he would exclaim "mon Dieu!" and not in a pleasant way. My reaction was "Merde!"

Because I so often just go slapping paint on the canvas without any direction in mind I'm afraid I have become a little lacking in self discipline. I think I'm addicted to reckless abandon. It feels great to me but probably doesn't make for much of a painter.

Still, I want to learn how to paint with a purpose. I realize that if I'm going to do this I have to have a plan and work it. I must really think about what I'm going to do before I do it. It is so clear I did not do this when it came to painting the green leaves in this painting. I must remember to restrain myself and ponder with purpose. Probably an experienced painter could do this without thinking but I am a long way from there.

There's more to learn here than just painting. Painting is a great enterprise for developing patience and mindfulness, two qualities I wish to improve upon in my life in general.

As a means of my own encouragement ,I will say, I create absolutely delicious colors. Now if I could only make something of them.

Walker

Lagoon

Lagoon

 

I had quite a hard time coming up with a name for this puppy. The best I could come up with was Lagoon.

The Jennifer Lopez song, Where Are You Going To, comes to mind as regards this painting. I had absolutely no idea where I was going. Had I had a clue I might have done some things differently. But, there you go!

Someone asked the other day what kind of painting I do. I really had no idea what to say. I prefer any kind of painting that does not involve realism. I greatly appreciate the skill and training that goes into these types of paintings. And, whilst I often find them beautiful I do not find them mentally stimulating. I like art that challenges the imagination and gets the viewer involved in thinking and wondering. I also love giving voice to my inner child aka my primitives. So, what kind of painter am I? In a word I guess I'd have to say "Wayward?"

Walker

Power of the Pyramid

Blackfeet Country

Over on the other side of the Rockies, east of here, is the Blackfeet reservation. It's is by turns a gawd awful place and a place of unimaginable beauty. I love to go over in the spring to hunt for and photograph the new born foals that dot the landscape. I also like to fantasize about those long lost days when man and animals lived here in natural balance. I can imagine the braves racing like the wind across the plains on their painted ponies. The vision literally brings tears to my eyes.

The painting is, once again, just my musing. I would classify it as one of my primitive efforts. The Rocky Mountain Front looks nothing like these mountains and I made no effort to paint authentic Blackfeet teepees. I believe in the power of pyramids. I think indians felt that power and designed the teepees to tap into it. The green grass and lupine are just will o the wisp.

I know this painting looks child like and that professional painters would puke over it's childishness. By I really like it. It's the child in me that cries out to be set free. Does everything have to be perfect? Can't just doing what feel's fun and whimsical be worthwhile? Stupid question. Of course it can. No one needs to like my drek but me.

I enjoy looking at this painting and dreaming of my next trip to St. Mary in the spring. And, as always, I just love the colors. I am a color junkie. I am a color junkie!

Walker

Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas

I was raised with the old bromide "Waste not. Want not". Believe me that one has stuck in my head to the point of sometimes my being a cheapskate. Also, I suppose, my Scot ancestry didn't help.

When I paint a picture there is generally paint leftover. Getting paint back in the tube is kind of like trying to un-ring a bell. I just can't bear to waste the paint. So, I take the opportunity to really let fly and try to create something with just the paint I have left.

Upon finishing WHEAT FIELDS & WILDFLOWERS, as usual, I had paint that needed using. Hydrangeas is what that paint wanted to be.

Don't waste paint! Cuz what you may really wasting is your innate creativity.  It's a wonderful opportunity to be free and be bold without fretting about the outcome.

Walker

Wheat Fields & Wildflowers

Wheat Fields & Wildflowers

I took a spring, summer and fall hiatus from painting. Not entirely, I painted a few rocks which was quite fun.

Now I am hunkered down, once again, for the winter and my thoughts return to painting on canvas. I put up my paint brushes because I felt painting was an indoor activity and I really prefer outdoor activities, when the weather permits and the days are long.

I am very much a fan of the impressionist style of painting and feel, even with my photography THE LIBERATED PHOTOGRAPHER one of my most influential muses is Claude Monet. So right out of the chute I tried my hand at my idea of an impressionist painting. In case you've forgotten I have no idea how to paint. I'm just making it up as I go along.

The subject matter is one near and dear to my heart, Montana. The Montana landscape is so beautiful any time of year. It being winter, the summer landscape popped into my head and voila this is what appeared on my canvas. Wheat fields and wildflowers are Montana in the summer. LOL! My color addiction is quite apparent n'est pas?

Speaking of not knowing how to paint, I have become convinced more than ever I made the right decision when I decided not to seek out art classes to learn. There is no doubt in my mind if I had done so it would have killed any chance of my pursuing the art. I would not have been unable to do what the teacher wanted and then in total frustration would have given up, convinced I had no possibility of being able to paint. What a shame that would have been.

The truth is, I REALLY like this painting. I love looking at it. It warms me to think I created it. It matters not if any one else likes it. I did not paint it for anyone else. My life would have been less enriched if I had never painted it. I am so grateful to have this painting.

I mention this for the benefit of anyone who would like to try painting but is afraid they have no talent and like me are unteachable. Just do it. Follow your heart. Follow your art. Nothing truly special and unique was ever created following the herd.

Walker

The Source

In my painting Cosmic Sunrise it seems I was focused on looking outward. With The Source it looks to me like things are flowing inward. I can't say I had any conscious direction in mind.

Often I paint with no plan. I just choose colors that for some reason I am drawn to in that moment and away I go. While painting without a plan is liberating and it's fun to watch what emerges it does have it's drawbacks.

The Source

I can now see things I wish I had done differently and probably would have had I put any forethought into what I was doing. I had no idea I was going to paint something that felt like I should call it The Source. Had I known I probably would have painted the water with vertical lines, as opposed to horizontal, so that the water had a more powerful feeling of flowing toward the observer.

But, here's the thing, my painting is 100% self-indulgent. I do it for no other reason than to please myself. I love slapping on paint with reckless abandon even if it does mean I miss things. I just love the feeling. I love the freedom. It's a way to leave the planet without a rocket ship. And, lucky for me, the colors never disappoint. I am a self-proclaimed color junkie. No matter what else, I am always pleased with my colors.

I've yet to go back and try painting a painting again. I seem to be always wanting to express something new. But, in this case I very well may come back to it and change a few things. Meanwhile, I can still feel that wonderful water flowing right into my chest.

©Walker Barnard

My Montana

I just finished this painting and it is without a doubt my all time favorite.

The painting is on canvas paper because it started out as a self designed training exercise. Thing is, I should know better because once I get started things just take on a life o their own. What I was about was experimenting with different brush strokes.

The other challenge; I was wanting to try using just the three primary colors, plus titanium to mix them with. I had read some artists do this exclusively and I wanted to give it a go. Seemed impossible to me before I tried. I cannot believe I was able to mix up such beautiful colors just from those three. It's totally amazing.

MY MONTANA

I can't begin to tell you how much I love this painting. The colors. The brush stokes. The subject. This painting truly is My Montana in my childlike heart. What a blessing and gift it is to be able to create something like this for yourself.

It matters not what anyone else thinks. It's all about my joy. And, this painting fills me with nothing but. Oh, how I love my Montana!


©Walker Barnard

In the Forest of My Imagination

In the Forest of My Imagination

This is another example of me painting my imagination at work. I really love to do this kind of painting because I have no idea where I am going. I just lose myself in the colors and the rest just kind of appears.

©Kinsey Barnard

Dark Forest

Dark Forest

I am a color junky but sometimes I find the absence of it rather intriguing. This particular abstract painting was inspired by one of my photographs. This painting is less my imagination and more something I once saw saw.

©Kinsey Barnard

Channel Islands

Channel Islands

I got carried away and framed this one. I also framed "Floating Flowers". I just couldn't resist seeing what they looked like framed and Michael's was having a two for one sale.

I was born and raised on the California coast and this colorful painting reminded me of the Channel Islands sunset. Most of the time I have absolutely no idea what I am going to paint and this is definitely one of those times when a picture just turns up. Color is my inspiration. I'm more interested in color than subjects. When I paint I just pick some color I feel like working with and start mixing. The picture just develops from there. My painting is like a box of chocolates. I never know what I'm going to get. Crazy way to paint I know but I like the results and that's all that matters to me.

©Kinsey Barnard

Floating Flowers

Floating Flowers

Floating Flowers - Framed

I think Floating Flowers may be my new favorite abstract painting. Maybe it's more impressionist, expressionist. Whatever, it was my imagination at play.

I was too lazy to get the photograph right so the brilliant blue is not at all well represented. It's the prettiest blue I ever did see. But, sometimes there is only so much trouble I am willing to bother with. Especially, since I have the real thing to look at.

©Kinsey Barnard