Interview With an Artist -- Patricia J. Moss

Quiescent, Patricia J. Moss

I've invited local Black Diamond artist, educator, and high school counselor Patricia J. Moss to be my next guest blogger. She has agreed to answer a set of interview questions taken from the Artwork Archive site's article, 50 Terrific Topics to Write About for Your Art Blog. These are her words...

1. How do you find inspiration? 

Replenish, Patricia J. Moss

I find inspiration in every tree, rock, flower, and branch.  I find inspiration in the movement of water and the reflection of light showing us the details of God's creations. I find inspiration in the smile of a child and the eyes of a loved one. Every day provides something to inspire us all. We just have to open our hearts and minds to see the splendor surrounding us.

"Sometimes life gets in the way of our passions.
Hang on tight to what you love, breathe and
look for adjustments and replenishment."

Patricia J. Moss

2. What is my philosophy as an artist?

We are all born as an artist of sorts; made to experience and express the beauty that surrounds us. We are born to convey art in music, science, math, writing, and theater, etc. It is the creativity of expression that drives connection with others. In turn that connection allows us to grow, expanding our perspectives, feeding our souls, and inspiring our spirits.

3. What are you currently working on? 

I am primarily a landscape and floral artist… yet as a counselor, I have always been fascinated with the human mind, body, and spirit.  My current project is a study of human anatomy and a review of religious art from my art history texts.  I am not sure where this study will bring me, but I am eager to stretch my limits and continue to learn more.

4. What are your steps for creating art? 

Relinquish, Patricia J. Moss

I take thousands of photos of things I see that capture mood or light and seem to communicate a message.  I crop and use these photos as a reference.

From my reference, I begin by working on quick compositional sketches using Galkyd Gel and a thick later of paint to glaze in shadow shapes and tone the canvas.

Continuing to use Galkyd Gel or other mediums to thin the viscosity of the paint and create more translucent layers, I begin to glaze in layers building from the background and moving forward.  In landscape work, I try to see the image as a series of vertical plains.  As the plains recede softer edges or more prevalent as they approach the foreground, harder lines and edges are common. I generally desaturate colors in the background and use looser brush strokes to indicate distance.  As I continue to add layers, I use smaller brushes and use more saturated colors.

Moving to the foreground, I again glaze larger shapes and shadows with a larger brush using bolder colors and adding layers to refine details.  As I re-evaluate each step, I often begin working on the entire piece.

I find that I have grown the most as an artist through continued research on techniques, compositions, and lessons from more established artists.  Additionally, the collaboration with fellow artists who can provide constructive criticism has helped me grow immensely over the last few years.

5. Do you travel for your art? Paint in Plein-air?

Yes, I consider the Pacific Northwest as my playground. I love to hike and explore, finding landscapes, viewpoints, and adventures that I can portray in my work. When possible, I love bringing my Pochade Box (easel), or a sketchbook to help me capture what I see.

6. Why do you create art? Why do you work in the medium that you do? 

Reach for the Light, Patricia J. Moss

Life can be hard chaotic and even heartbreaking at times. We must choose to look for the positives and the beauty in our everyday experiences as well as our adventures.  My art is therapy, communication, meditation, and sometimes an expression of prayer. It is an expression of love and gratitude for all the details that make life beautiful. My work is a mindful study of the details which I find miraculous and a reminder that if we stop to look, we can find the light behind every dark cloud. I work with oils because I love the flexibility they provide.  Using oils and other mediums to adjust translucency and viscosity I can achieve a variety of effects that help me communicate the message I want to convey.

7. What is your favorite piece by another artist? 

Water-Lilies (1907), Claude Monet

I am inspired by the work of artists like Monet and Georgia O’Keefe. Although their work is different than my own, the subject matter they choose and the perspectives that seemed prevalent in their work speak to me.  With both their work picking just one piece as my favorite is very difficult.  I have always loved Monet’s water-lilies series because his use of color and texture brings a feeling of relaxation, serenity, and quiet energy.  I share his love for gardens and for the life and energy they contain. His impressionist brush strokes are masterful and leave observers awestruck.

For O’Keefe I admire her use of line and movement which in her time was revolutionary.  Her strength as a woman and as an artist was bold sensual and unapologetic.  Her attention to detail while focusing on both Line and Movement created a modern and relatively abstract perspective which appeals to me and my philosophy as an artist.  After visiting the Georgia O’Keefe museum in Santa Fe, NM, I really can’t say that I have a favorite.

My favorite contemporary artists are Bobbie Burgers and Carin Gerard.

8. What benefits have you received from joining an artist association?

Breathless and Blessed,
Patricia J. Moss

Living in a rural area, it can be more difficult to be aware of and participate in artistic opportunities.  Often the found opportunities require a great deal of travel. Finding groups like Black Diamond Arts Alliance that provide opportunities for collaboration, exposure, and mentoring can be a huge catalyst for professional growth.

9. What would you do differently or the same in your art career looking back? 

I am still in the process of building my art career.  For years I put down my brush to raise kids and complete my education.  I can’t say that I would do anything differently because both have made me who I am today.  I can say that daily practice and continued learning are imperative.  Most importantly, as artists, we need to be self-aware and know our message.  It is your message the drives your passion for art and guides your marketing.

Autumn Leaves in Landscapes of Famous Artists

Introduction

As a kickoff to November, I'd like to show landscapes that celebrate the colors of Autumn leaves. The artists will pretty much be from the 19th through the 21st centuries.

Wooded Path in Autumn (1902), Brendekilde

My first example is a colorful Autumn masterpiece by Danish artist, Hans Anderson Brendekilde. I love the vibrant colors, and the figures in the foreground and background make for a welcoming scene. This would be a fine place for a cool, brisk walk. I am, however, confused by the reflection of the green tree, though it does provide balance to the composition.

19th Century

The Cenotaph To Reynolds’ Memory
(1836), John Constable

My next more wintery example is this classic tribute to Sir Joshua Reynolds. While in the UK in 2017, I was afforded the opportunity to see the work of both of these artists -- Constable's landscapes and Reynolds' portraits. The monument depicted here was erected in Coleorton, Leicestershire, England in the Winter Garden by George Beaumont in honor of one of the many artists he supported. Although this painting may seem monochromatic, Constable was famous for painting with "a thousand greens" in his landscapes. You have to see it in person!

Autumn on the Seine
at Argenteuil (1873), Monet

Autumn Effect
at Argenteuil (1873), Monet

Monet painted several Autumn scenes along the Seine River near Argenteuil. Although the first painting horizontally uses the rule-of-thirds, his colors make it look like only half-Autumn. I much prefer his second version, "Autumn Effect..." which is much more seasonally consistent. 

He's edited out the boats though it looks like he painted it

from a similar vantage point and on a less overcast day.

The Studio Boat (1876), Monet

My favorite of Monet's Autumn water scenes has to be The Studio Boat. There's another version with a closeup of the boat and the people inside.

Gathering Autumn Leaves (1877), Homer

The following year, we have Winslow Homer’s Gathering Autumn Leaves. This painting feels like one of Andrew Wyeth's portraits to me. I love the sharp angles and shadows.

Autumn Landscape, near Pontoise (1871-72), Pissarro

Another of my favorites is impressionist, Camille Pissarro. I like the depth he was able to achieve with the hill in the foreground, the clearing in the middle ground, and the small white house in the background and below the horizon. Unlike his earlier Landscape at Louveciennes (Autumn) (1870), the colors are more saturated and the brushstrokes seem less like those of an impressionist. I'd like to see this one in person.

Jules Le Coeur Walking
With His Dogs (1866), Renoir

I am somewhat reluctant to show this painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir because I have not seen it in person and I, therefore, do not know its original color scheme. I've also seen it depicted in much darker greens and almost black hues. Anyway, it is a portrait of his friend, architect-turned-painter, Jules Le Coeur walking in the Fontainbleau Forest with his Dogs. He apparently painted this outdoors and in his studio.

Landscape with Trees (1881), Van Gogh

I've said it before, it is exciting to discover paintings by Vincent Van Gogh that I haven't seen before. Here, the artist uses a limited color palette of brown and gold, much like the Constable painting above. Check out Van Gogh in Holland for more of his uncharacteristically less-colorful landscapes from 1881-86.

20th Century

Birch Forest I (1902), Gustav Klimt

As we proceed into the 20th century, I want to highlight Austrian artist, Gustav Klimt, who is known as a symbolist who primarily painted the female body. This landscape is somewhat of a departure for Klimt. He has brightened up an otherwise dark forest by using tiny brushstrokes that give his Autumn leaves a shimmering quality. Klimt had a style all his own, though I am reminded of Pointillist Georges Seurat's dots and Henri Matisse's paper cutouts. It also has a surreal, dreamlike quality.

Autumn Leaves (1913), Sargent

One of my favorite artists is John Singer Sargent, who is famous for

his paintings of turn-of-the-century women.

Autumn Leaves (1924), O'Keeffe

When I was very young and living in Northern New Jersey, my family would vacation at a resort in Lake George, NY. Georgia O’Keeffe painted several versions of Autumn Leaves while in Lake George. I wish that I had seen these when I taught a lesson where we made compositions from tracings of leaf shapes. Instead, we learned about Cubism and Picasso and traced leaf shapes in a value study using geometric shapes in the background. I'll have to think of a project inspired by O'Keeffe.

Value Study/Cubism Leaves, Glenridge Elementary

Celebrating Three 21st Century Women Artists

Autumn Leaves by Aleyna Isik

Saatchi Art is a great source for buying or viewing art. Here is an oil painting of leaves by Turkish artist, Aleyna Isik.

Autumn Leaves (2015), Kim Testone

I also found this acrylic painting by Kim Testone of Upstate New York. In her blog, Paintings by Kim Testone, she gives step-by-step instructions on daily paintings of leaves.

Quiescent, Patricia J. Moss

One of my colleagues, Patricia J. Moss, from the Black Diamond Arts Alliance, painted this beautiful oil painting of Autumn leaves. I wonder if she was inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe. You can find out in my next Interview With an Artist.