Every stroke depends on the previous one, and each influences the next.

Art is about observation. This process involves thinking abstractly, but also observing how light, atmosphere, value, color, and edges work together to give an object its form and life.  In this piece, I massed in the darks and lights which merged together to form an energetic abstract.  Every stroke depended on the previous one, and each influenced the next.  I used middle values of local color which made the trees' personalities come to life.  I wanted the painting to have strength power, movement, life, and wind blowing through the branches. 

Delicious Dish

The subject matter for a piece of art presents itself in many ways.  Still lifes are usually arranged by the artist, but sometimes if you are truly aware of your surroundings, they arrange themselves.  If you are not aware, your perfect opportunity for inspiration might just get scooped up and thrown in the garbage.  For example, I was baking recently and I had just put the eggs in the bowl to warm up to room temperature.  As I broke the eggs I put most of the shells back in the bowl.  I walked away to get a baking pan, turned around and looked back to see the eggs spilling this way and that.  It looked like a great organic still life to me.  The composition of the eggs in the bowl was simple but strong, and reminded me a lot of baking.  Much like baking a cake, sometimes all you need is a simple recipe for a unique piece of art.

Inspired Reflections

 

There are many surprises when you go hunting for new subjects to paint.  Recently, I went to Deep River County Park in Hobart, and wandered to my usual places.  They were great, but just not an inspiration on that day.  I walked down along the river, under a bridge, and behold - the light on the river glistened and the reflections in the shadows made an inspired composition.  Enjoy!

Balancing Act

 

Artists need to be fluent in the languages of realism and abstraction.  An artist needs to understand the aspects of creating art such as drawing skills and painting techniques.  Realism gives me the information and abstraction is the visual language that frees me to paint and draw what is going on in my mind as I observe the subjects before me.  I may be looking at a child but I also see future, innocence, wonder and love.   

The child becomes the subject of my message, not the message itself.  I attempt to capture the moment, not document every detail that my eyes take in.  I have to edit and make choices as I try my best to keep my first impression at the top of my to do list.  

 

 

The more I paint and search for the wonder and delight that I see in my subjects, the more it improves the quality of my vision.  I can copy the subject but I need to look at my artwork frequently and see if the artwork is expressing my vision.  Art is about seeing and interpreting, feeling and reacting.  The goal is to achieve the delicate balance between realism and abstraction so that my artwork is powerful and expressive.

Long Stemmed Elegance

 

 To me, this was a study in grey that is finished with a flourish of color.  I used the building blocks of value that give you feeling of 3 dimensions on a 2 dimensional surface. 

Long Stemmed Elegance -12" x 18" - pastel - available for purchase soon, in a gallery near you.

Mother and Child - Progression

There’s a story waiting to be told in every painting. This one was inspired by the tender moment shared between mother and child.  The love – passion – warmth – protection – embodied in the embrace translated into a beautiful pastel.  The piece is not yet finished, but this 4th still captures the intended emotions. Make sure to check the website for the finished piece soon.  http://www.gerriegovert.com/new-work.html

Black and White to Color

Light effects are central in my work.  I want the painting to stand out from across the room and dramatic lighting does that.

My goal with this sketch was to show the coolness and darkness of this specific light and its effect on his face.