This weekend I participated in a still-life workshop, given by Jeanette Jones. Jeanette has a distinctive way of placing things so they look as if they were set there without much thought. A few simple, beautiful objects, gathered for their color, shape, or texture, placed in an inviting grouping, have a powerful allure. Jeanette set up several vignettes around the garden of one of my favorite locations, Milfiori, demonstrated the beginning stages of a painting and encouraged her viewers to start their still-life paintings.
Still-life. I love the sound of this term. An artist arranges objects in a desired way and paints them while they sit quietly, cooperating in the process of creating beauty that can be shared. I wish life would sit still for me more often! Or is it me that doesn't sit still?
Engaging in the process of still-life painting made me realize that I have to stay put, keeping at it if I'm going to have the result I want in a painting. That's true for any project, but these set-ups were outside where the lighting frequently changes, breezes blow, and--as we found this weekend-- rains come down. The only way to capture the moment is to be in the moment. Working from a photograph in the studio will result in a more "finished" look, but the spontaneity of plein-air has a fresh look that allows the viewer to feel the moment as well.
So I have to be there, seeing, breathing, hearing, experiencing the setting as well as the subject if I want to share that experience with you. It has to be real to me for it to be meaningful at all to you. Sounds like something to apply to other areas of life as well, perhaps most especially to my walk with Jesus. I want to spend still-life hours in His presence, hearing, feeling, breathing, living its reality. Then I want to find ways to paint it for you!
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