Shore Looks Right

Sometimes it is difficult for an artist to communicate verbally to non-artists. Like the retired airline pilot I was talking to on the phone today. I was describing waves and beach colors in terms like "warm and cool colors" and "atmospheric density at the horizon", etc. It was clear that these descriptive terms were confusing him.

I followed up with an email and images to help explain.

Sea Birds © 2016||Dot Courson 

 I’ve noticed that with every ocean or body of water there are defining characteristics of atmosphere, light and colors that set it apart from all the other waterside settings around the same time of day.

Sunrise Sunset ©2018| Dot Courson

The Gulf Coast is soft and light in warm and cool pastel colors and usually has smooth elegant waves. Also, one views the water from a beach or up on beautiful sand dunes near sea level at (eye level) and it feels like the horizon is very wide.

Coast is Toast (Gulf Shores Little Lagoon)  ©2016|Dot Courson Art 

Pemaquid Point, Maine ©|Dot Courson

Contrast that with Maine which is only described as "soft" when it is in a fog- otherwise it is hard as it’s rocky shoreline  and the colors are stronger in the choppy water. It’s natural shore is usually viewed from a more elevated perspective, with the viewer looking down more, so you paint a lot of the surface of the water and it's flatter plane. 

Being aware of those things area important for me as an artist in order to give it a legitimate “sense of place”. 

Communicating about art is important to me as an artist and I'm not sure why because it can be confusing and seem ambiguous to non artists. But collectors still need explanations sometimes to fully understand artistic vision and appreciate art. Sometimes we have to try to resort to their language.... and if you can not communicate in words....send pictures! 

“We’ve now reached our cruising altitude of flight level three-three-zero. I’ll go ahead and turn off the seat belt sign…”

Dot Courson is a full time artist and teacher in Pontotoc, MS. View here website at www.dotcourson.com for recent work, show announcements and workshops she teaches.