026 / Pandemic Artwork Stories

1/4/2021

026 / pandemic artwork stories

WITH JEANNE ROSIER SMITH

Where are you painting from and what have you been doing to keep busy?

Most days I work in my home studio, and when the weather cooperates, I venture out for some plein air painting. I’ve absolutely loved the enforced extra studio time with all of my travel and teaching plans cancelled. I’ve become much more productive, digging into a store of thousands of photographs. I’ve gotten in touch with my long-term collectors, and I’ve been keeping my galleries well-supplied. I have found that more painting is always better, and once I figured out how to communicate what I was doing through newsletters, emails and Instagram, I’ve never been busier.

How did you find inspiration from your surroundings for it?

I find inspiration in the ocean almost no matter what I’m feeling, or what I’m looking for. Water, and especially the eternal motion of the sea, is inherently healing and calming. “A Light Note” plays on the contrast of dark, murky shadows and light, playful spray along an intensely backlit morning wave. There is interest in both the shadow shapes and in the light, but the values of both need to stay in their proper proportions for the forms to make sense. This painting is about finding joy and beauty in any moment, amidst the tossing, turning, and darkness.

What is one positive that has come from this experience for you?

I have learned how much I appreciate slowing down and not traveling. My life had gotten very hectic with a packed teaching schedule and lots of travel. I knew it was too much, but I’ve been able to see exactly how beneficial to both my health and my painting it is to stay put and stay in the studio. My inner introvert is thanking me.

What is one of your favorite pieces in the collection from a fellow artist?

Bradley Hendershot’s “Winter at the Chad House” is a breathtaking watercolor. Every time I drive through that area of Pennsylvania I long to paint those gorgeous, picturesque stone houses and barns, but I’m daunted by the spare lines, the detail, the muted colors. Hendershot’s painting is beautifully composed and evokes the grace and spirit of those old stone buildings so well. This winter scene conveys warmth, solidity, and endurance to me.

Learn more about Jeanne's artwork and story here.