Contemplation and Inspiration

It's been a quite day for me. Holidays are milestones and I usually think of the past and wonder about the future. Actually, all I can do is be content with the present and be grateful for the current gifts in my life... Have a good weekend everyone and peaceful Easter.

Original Impressionist Painting Garden Wild Roses

"Out of the Dark"

I found these roses while walking toward the San Clemente Pier. I thought I'd be researching possible future seascape paintings and instead I found theses wild roses. They looked like they were fighting to survive and come out of the dark. The vibrant colors against the dark have an intimate quality.

One of my favorite artists and I have many is Pierre Bonnard. He created these intimate/psychological visual stories with vibrant colors . . . I like the idea of not only making a statement with your subject matter but also with the color, value, composition and brush strokes.

Art Magnet Gallery

This is my admiration for small format art in one of its many formats, plus its fun. I thought that large blank canvas called the refrigerator need some color...

Original Impressionistic Seascape by JC Strong

With the help of imagination and reference material, this latest work is my idea of the many colors and moods of the ocean.

Everytime I paint a landscape or seascape I'm aware that nature is the ultimate artist:

"Nature" is what we see -- The Hill -- the Afternoon -- Squirrel -- Eclipse -- the Bumble bee -- Nay -- Nature is Heaven -- Nature is what we hear -- The Bobolink -- the Sea -- Thunder -- the Cricket -- Nay -- Nature is Harmony -- Nature is what we know -- Yet have no art to say -- So impotent Our Wisdom is To her Simplicity." by Emily Dickinson

You can find more information regarding this painting by visiting my Etsy Shop. With so many options on the web, thank you for stopping by and viewing my work...

Original Miniature, Small, and ACEO Paintings

This treasury is a gallery of miniature, small format, and aceo original paintings. Most of the work is created by Etsy Team members of the Finding Fine Art Team, Fine Art Friday Team, and participants of the First Friday Art Walk on Etsy sponsored by Art Walk Etsy Team.

Small format art and ACEO's are a great way to start an art collection. You can experiment with different styles, mediums, and subject matter. The artwork is affordable and takes up minimal space.

Painting Motivation, Inspiration and Hope

I thought I'd give a little insight into my past, motivation, and why my art inspiration comes from nature. I'm a retired victim/witness advocate. I worked with survivors of crime & other trauma for about 20 years. During that period I saw how the process of creating art could assist survivors in their healing journey.

Not all survivors became artists but many had a cathartic experience through art in its different forms. I truly believe people don't forget a traumatic and painful occurrence. They acquire tools that help them survive and become stronger.

After witnessing arts benefits, I began reading art history books, created my first stick figures, and was on the road to my own art education and journey.

My subject matter on the surface is not about crime and pain. I do understand artists that share their emotions on canvas and it can be beautiful. My work is more about capturing nature. The motivation is to capture life's natural tenderness. I like knowing "mother earth" gives us hope.

”Happy are the painters, for they shall not be lonely. Light and colour, peace and hope, will keep them company to the end of the day." -- Winston Churchill.