Dot Courson Fine Art Blog

Provenance of  The Natchez Trace Parkway  -a Triptych ©2008|Dot Courson By artist, Dot Courson  March 9, 2015- Nov 13, 2018 The sources of this documentation include gallery records, emails, photo records and memory. Introduction: My painting, The Natchez Trace Parkway now hangs in the Mill at 600 Russell Street Starkville MS.  It has an interesting provenance and the final (so far) buyer requested that I document it..  Today Facebook reminded me of what was going on 7 years ago today and so I thought I'd put that documentation in a blog post The Natchez Trace triptych was created as an original work of art from my own photos and was completed in the spring of 2008 in my studio. The paintings sections are on three 48” x 36” cotton canvas panels wrapped on stretcher bars and painted in oils. The oil painting continues around the wrapped edges to the back edges which are approximately 1.5” deep. As an artist I am drawn to landscapes and especially...

A collector from Chicago wrote me today asking for more detailed information about another one of my works. I've never met her, she bought one of my paintings years ago in a gallery that represented me at that time. Her questions made me wonder if others would like more information about me and the inspiration behind my paintings.  I know my work is contemporary in one sense.... but it comes across as nostalgic as well. That is an unusual combination these days. It's only contemporary in the way that I paint. It is ALL nostalgic scenery and I do not make excuses for painting what is real to me and my life. It is who I am.. I OWN the fact that I paint in a way that expresses my personal narrative, my internal story, and what a scene feels like and personally means to me. Here is my note back to the collector about this painting today: Pathway Home 12x24, Oil ©2018|DotCourson Dear _____, Was just thinking about you after emailing you the larger sized image you reque...

Here are some figures and little portraits of family and others that I have done over the years and thought I would share. Something different since I usually paint landscapes....All images ©Dot Courson...

Last week in my "Monday Afternoon 3 times a Month Art Class" class was en plein air in a pasture across the road from where I live. My neighbor rehabs old vehicles to make street rods or antique cars. He's getting ready to build his building there and has a couple of interesting ones that I think are ripe for painting. It was fun but was windy and in the 80's and not everyone came - and one person got too hot... and the wind almost took us down! But hey- that'a plein air painting!  Here are all the paintings done on site and one also that a Facebook friend did from photograph: I even had a Facebook friend who painted the picture (below) that I had posted on FAcebook.... Here is her version that was painted from a photo: She calls her paintings "Mater and Sally" form the Cars Movie...  ...and I named mine (above) "Mater's Momma"!  Thanks to everyone who participated! 

When people talk to you about your art, you learn so much.  I learn as much about the viewer as I do myself. And it is almost like a shared past or bond with those who relate to my work!  This past Thursday I was honored at the reception of my first hometown "solo" show in Tupelo. Caron|Prince Gallery in Tupelo did an amazing show and worked so hard to make this happen. Tupelo is so lucky to have Caron|Prince Gallery! They have an amazing collection of many of the state's best artists represented! And they work so hard to support the arts in Mississippi.  During the evening I began asking some of the people there to tell me about their favorite works hanging in this show. I was truly surprised with the feedback...and delighted with the very nice and kind critiques these folks gave... Landscapes:  One collector was an artist's dream!  I'd spotted him looking at one wall of paintings and introduced myself. It was so much fun to...

Last week I went to Big Lots and bought a mirror- about a 24x30 size and hung it in my studio- about 8 feet behind my easel. Normally I walk away from my painting anyway as I paint to view it from a distance. But the reason I needed it was because - I don't have room to get very far away, and in any case, when one views paintings in progress your eye gets used to it as you work: Flaws or errors are more readily seen in the mirror image. Also a mirror allows one to View the painting in greater distance (twice the distance from mirror to image) and are looking at less detail. (Helpful in cramped spaces.) Judge balance/ symmetry/ spacing of objects in a painting/drawing show up better Value patterns. Light and dark masses are more evident This is very helpful in landscapes, but here is a still life I just started These are some landscapes I've been working on for an upcoming show... The other thing that I use is a small camera in studio or my phone camera.  With ...