Rowing In / Lake Inlet

 oil on linen 9" x 12"

"I do not care for the subject. What I care for is what happens between me and the subject."

Claude Monet

Some paintings' subjects are just sitting there, waiting for one to see what is before them. The danger is to be completely seduced by the place, by the thing-ness about the place, to the point of simply copying or illustrating the thing. The key to avoiding artless illustration or cliched imitation is in trying to be attuned to the expressive poetry of the place, the space, the quality of light. Often this can be accessed by imagining a painting strategy based on one's expressive intent - the strategy helps to focus on the poetry - the essence of what is happening between the artist and the subject. (Guess that guy Monet knew something!)