Growing--Two Versions of a Landscape--New York Hills Painting

This pair of paintings represents a rare undertaking for me--creating a second version of a landscape I had already painted once. You have seen the painting on the right before, on the November 5 blog post, along with the following description: " . . . Look to the Hills, II, recalls a deeply renewing visit to Warwick Conference Center near Warwick, NY a few Octobers ago. Our long-time friends, Ken and Arlene Tenckinck, manage the center and direct all its programs. As I type this, I find myself smiling and breathing deeply with pleasure--they are remarkable people, Our too-infrequent times together are always rich, meaningful, and full of laughter."

The original Look to the Hills painting, on the left above, differs in the painting palette, in the appearance of the large tree, and in the degree of detail developed in various areas of the composition. It remains a personal favorite as a reminder of that wonderful visit with treasured friends and for the tranquil feeling it gives me. Although I am open to selling most of the paintings I currently have on hand, I plan to keep the first version of this scene.

Why did I decide to create another painting from the same reference photos? I guess part of the reason is the attachment I feel to this scene. I also like an occasional break from Coastal North Florida scenes and felt like a return to the mountain vista of the Warwick, New York area. Finally, I was curious to try a second version with a different palette, a more limited group of basic paint colors from which I mixed all the colors you see in version II.

There may be some truth to the saying that "You can't go home again", as the second version proved to be much more difficult than the first. It simply refused to come out well and is still a distant second to the first in my opinion. However, hearing the response of other people to the two pieces has been interesting and instructive. At my Open Studio Reception in November, several guests really liked Hills II , and at least one of them is still considering purchasing it. Their opinions serve as a good reminder that taste and preference in art are very individual and that I should not assume that viewers will always rank paintings the same way I do. If any of you want to vote for one or the other, that would be fun, and I would love to hear the reasons for your preference.

Question of the day: What experiences can you recall that illustrate the wide variation among people in their taste in art?

Growing--Art Studio Reception Preparations Continue

We are very excited as we prepare for our Open Studio Reception this coming Sunday afternoon. If you can make it, we would be thrilled to see you. This painting will be one of those on exhibit. The specifics once more:

North Florida Landscape Paintings

by Mary Lemmenes

Sunday, November 8

2:00 - 5:00 PM

7364 Secret Woods Drive

Jacksonville, FL 32216

Fresh organically grown produce from Down To Earth Farm

Live Piano by Greg Spiess

Food & Drink--Casual Dress

For information:

lemmeneslandscape@bellsouth.net or

904-945-0458 UPDATE: I have now added an index of all blog posts about planning and holding an art reception. Access it here.

Although a number of tasks are complete, there are still plenty of details to attend to in the next few days. Mounting a show in our home poses interesting challenges. Besides labeling and displaying the paintings, setting up the business end of things, preparing everything from guest book to drinks and food (the latter will be relatively simple for this event), the most challenging aspect of preparation is that after sending out a number of invitations, we have no idea how many people to expect. I think it will be somewhere between 10 and 150. An interesting adventure, no?

The painting pictured above on my studio easel, Look to the Hills, II, recalls a deeply renewing visit to Warwick Conference Center near Warwick, NY a few Octobers ago. Our long-time friends, Ken and Arlene Tenckinck, manage the center and direct all its programs. As I type this, I find myself smiling and breathing deeply with pleasure--they are remarkable people, Our too-infrequent times together are always rich, meaningful, and full of laughter.

I am hoping that family and friends will take some pictures of Sunday's event so that I'll be able to share them with you next week. In the fun and stress of the countdown, I am encouraged and buoyed up by the support of all of you, dear readers and fellow bloggers. Thank you, thank you.

Question of the day: What recent avenue for sharing your creative projects or thoughts has been especially meaningful for you?