Shorter Posts

Fallen Willow – Watercolor – 8 x 12 inchesUnlike many artists, I consider sketchbooks to be indispensable. True, a smartphone will give you a fairly accurate image of something — as accurate as a machine with no brain and only one eye can get. But actually drawing something, no matter how innocuous it may seem, is important because drawing requires that we slow down, stop, relax, and spend some time getting acquainted with some wonders of the world.

The willow was attractive because we usually encounter trees standing straight up, not collapsed into a lake. The shapes were complicated and the reflections needed to be addressed: a complex subject. But if it’s not a challenge, what’s the point?

Sometimes I feel that I really don’t know much about anything unless I can draw it. After spending a couple of hours drawing the willow, I can’t say that I understood it. But it was a wonderful teacher, because it made me pay attention.

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More images on my website: johnmichaelkeating.com Source: http://bit.ly/2Mdoi7B

Arriba y Detrás – Watercolor – 21 x 29 inchesMany years ago, through the generosity of friends, I was lucky to live in Spain for several months in the ancient Mediterranean port of Valencia. In general, I try to avoid painting “picturesque” scenes. This view outside my window of the backsides of neighboring flats suited my desire to paint something mundane as faithfully as possible without trying to “express” myself. But of course, it is impossible not to express yourself, isn’t it? This watercolor is the result of a couple of weeks of work.

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More images on my website: johnmichaelkeating.com Source: http://bit.ly/2RxLFi8

Dawn Without Clouds – Acrylic/Masonite – 11 x 15 inchesWe all know how tedious flying can be, but if you get a window seat on the left side of the plane on a flight from Sacramento to Los Angeles, you might see the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the San Joaquin Valley at the same time. But you won’t see this particular scene. The painting is an invention, created from several otherwise tedious flights.

#art #artistsoninstagram #landscapeart #artforsale #modernart #fineart #contemporaryart #realistart #visualpoetry #artlovers #acrylicpainting #landscapes
More images on my website: johnmichaelkeating.com Source: http://bit.ly/2AES2p2