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

Stormy Weather

Stormy Weather

I have always loved this song, "Stormy Weather" made famous by the great singer Ethel Waters at the Cotton Club in New York in 1933. It was before my time but some things are timeless and that song is one of those things.

It played over and over in my head as I painted this.

And, here we go again, into the horizon.

Other examples:

http://followingmyart.blogspot.com/2018/01/where-are-you-going-to.html
http://followingmyart.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-source.html
http://followingmyart.blogspot.com/2017/01/cosmic-sunrise.html

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

Connectivity

With this painting I really went off the reservation, if you'll pardon the pun. It all started with me admiring some stones that I have that look like they have tiny landscapes painted on them. Mea culpa, I can't remember what they are called but they a very pretty.

I like to try different color combinations and these stones are an ideal mixture of browns with tiny black natural sketches on them. I chose my paints and away I went. After setting the tonal color, sandy beige, I put in the larger mountain, then the red mountain. Then for no reason I know of I was compelled to put in the white things in the sky. Next came the squiggle that reached up to the white dashes and leads down to the teepee. Last came the buffalo herd.

Connectivity

What does it all mean?  It is clearly a Montana landscape but other than that I have no earthly clue. And maybe that is the clue, not earthly. I don't know but I can say I just love this painting! I'd buy it if I didn't already own it!

At the risk of repeating myself, if you have never given painting a try you really should. It's turning out to be one of the coolest adventures of my life and I've had a lot of adventures.

Following My Art (Heart)

©Walker Barnard

Sweet Bitterroots - Montana

Continuing my love affair with the Bitterroot Mountains I painted this flight of fancy. I just love color and this painting lights my color candle. The color and shape of the mountains is pure imagination as is the color of the Bitterroot River. This is the beauty of painting. There is no limitation as to how you can apply your imagination.

I recommend everyone take up painting. It's absolutely liberating and I am after all the original Liberated Photographer and now I am the Liberated Painter. If it feels good do it! And this feels mighty fine to me!

Sweet Bitterroots

©Walker Barnard