Summer flowers on a summer tablecloth

Green is a challenge

Summer started already in April with warm and sunny days. Then May came with cold and wet days. But the nature exploded in all kind of greens. From the very pale green to the reddish green, and to the rich and full green. My husbond loves the green in the summer and can’t get enough of it. To me the green is difficult. That is in painting. Whether I am working with watercolour or acrylic. The greens are difficult, I think. But maybe just because it is difficult, I should explore it and make some paintings of the green nature around me. What do you think about green in art?

There are some wonderful summer flowers that brighten up the green. In our garden the poppies pop up with a stunning red colour and large, fluffy petals. They look like ballerinas in red dresses. What a motif! Red and green – very complementary.

The first poppy this summer.

Summer exhibitions – summer excursions

The summer is a season for exhibitions. All over the country, they pop up and people will travel around to see them and visit nice, small places with interesting sites and events. Holmsbu, where my exhibition is ending this weekend, is a nice place to visit. Situated by the sea, much to see, art galleries, nice cafes and a very special church.

Vincent

Last Sunday we went to see Vincent van Gogh at Hadeand Glassverk at Jevnaker. That was a great experience. We came very close on to his paintings and his life. Through lots of special projectors and fantastic music we were exposed to his life in mega size. We saw his thick strokes close up, even the threads in the canvas. All his paintings and his life passed by in moving pictures covering the walls from floor to ceiling. We could follow his drive to paint and feel his mind changing into lunacy. Especially the self portraits pictured how his mind went lost. It was really breathtaking and touching. Think about it – he sold only one painting while he was alive!

Vincent - one of his last self portraits

Here are some pictures from the show. I guess you get the picture!

Sunflowers king size!
Sunflowers even closer - and moving
From his Japan period

Summer studio

Then it feels very small to get back to my summer studio in Drøbak. It is in a corner of a small timber cabin – an annex – next to our main house. I is a guest house with a large double bed and a rocking chair and a bench,  and I use a corner there. But it works, I have made many paintings here during the summers. I have started on a few new ones now, but at the moment I feel a bit lost. I don’t have the flow, unfortunately. Then the wise thing to do is to let it rest for a while and start over fresh in a day or two.

My summer studio with the painting in a stage before it became a challenge.
The summer studio in the rain

Last weekend

The coming days will be the last of my show in Holmsbu. Sunday I will pick up the rest of my paintings and prepare for he next show this summer, in Grimstad, starting 29th of June. It will hang until the 12th of July.

I wish you all happy days in the coming weeks. Will you take on the challenge of greens? I would love to hear from you.