Dot Courson Fine Art Blog

 Announcing,   Two Paths, One Journey:  The Blended Influences of Landscape Artist Dot Courson and her Daughter- Portrait Artist, Susan Patton   September1-- October 30, 2023 Gumtree Musuem of Art, Tupelo, MS.  This exhibit will provide works to show how art takes on relationships with the artists, their friends and family, and the community and how it creates an emotional connection between the viewer and the artwork.   Read how Susan and I relate to each other and our art in this link to the Oil Painters of America blog here:   Oil Painters of America: Family, Memories and Landscape Below are pictures of us or activities with family and friends who share the love of our art!  Show paintings will be coming soon! Susan's painting of family members in "Reminiscing".  Dot Painting a little girl in a plein air invitational in Alabama in 2016. Grandson Noah painting in Dot's Studio as his brother Caleb watches.  Dot Painting at Tra...

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...

Last fall we had open house for my new Studio located on our 12 acres here in Pontotoc, Mississippi. We are located between Tupelo and Pontotoc right off Hwy 278 (old Hwy 6).  I've enjoyed creating in my new space looking out across the woods and fields as I paint my rural southerner landscapes. Stop by sometime! Phone 662-617-3100 for an appointment. Dot Courson Studio - Photo credit, Alison Schuchs Dot Courson Studio Open House 2017- Photo by Alison Schuchs Some of my Paintings done in late 2017 Cozy sitting space inside my new studio. Email artist@dotcourson.com or pone 662-517-3100 to arrange a visit!  News:  Dot was selected as a finalist in the 13th Annual Art Renewal Center International Salon! In April Dot's work, Home Grown Greens will be included in the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience "The MAX" as it opens in Meridian, MS in April 2018.

I have two art blogs...   It was not planned...  Grab a glass of sweet tea and pull up a chair. Here is how it happened: First I had a website is with FASO and it's at www.dotcourson.com . For many years there was not a blog associated with it. Then FASO administrators added a place for BLOGS- so I made that my main website. It is at  www.dotcourson.com/blog. Here's the latest blog post there: Having my new blog with my main website very convenient-  but it's leaving behind YEARS of blogs that I've done here on blogspot!  You are currently on my blogspot site with lots of older blogs (Notice the archived files from past years on the right.) Actually I manage a 3rd blog! It's about  Plein Air Painters of Mississippi  that I started several years ago to post Mississippi events because there are lots of Plein Air events in our state and no central place to post them. The limiting factor to blogging anywhere quit...

October is turning out to be my busiest month in awhile. Paintin' the Town- College Park, GA In late September it was great to be a part of an invitational plein air event in Atlanta in the suburb inside the beltway called, Historic College Park. Artist Millie Gosch did a great job putting this together and we all had a blast. I sold three of my paintings to collectors and received another commission. Thank you to all who turned out to volunteer and host. It was great meting up with artist friends as well! Cumberland Society National Juried Competition: Honored! On October 3rd, I was excited to travel to Nashville to the Cumberland Society National Opening and Awards Ceremony at Richland Fine Art where I received an Honorable Mention - a $500 award for my painting, Back-lit Trees, Oil, 12x16 from judge Peggi Kroll Roberts of Here is my winning painting at the Cumberland Society National Exhibition at Richland Fine Art in Nashville, TN  ©2013 Dot...

Art supplies are expensive: oil paints, brushes, canvas and  frames. I look for ways to keep the quality up, and expenses down in order to be able to afford the very best products. I also want to paint like I am rich - uninhibited! - and feel it is better to paint with abandon than to paint uptight and worried about the cost of supplies. Recycling your bad paintings: “What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?” - Vincent van Gogh Sometimes paintings fail. Recycling panels is easy. I destroy bad paintings by covering them up in order to re-use or "recycle" the canvas. Every painting simply does not work out... and sometimes I wipe the paint off immediately (recommended) and just start over. At other times I set them aside and later decide that the painting is not making me feel good or is not something that I want to keep or offer for sale.   “I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it.” - Vincent van  Gogh Some ar...