Painting a Series

Farmer's Palette, 6x6" Pastel on sanded paper

Have you ever gone to a museum or gallery opening and noticed how the works somehow relate to one another? This theme, or better understood as a "series" is a common way for an artist to communicate his or her idea. Painting a series of work doesn't mean you're running out of ideas to paint, but is a way to tell a story in a more intimate or deeper way. A series is like pushing an idea to further the experience till it's exhausted. Using the what, why, or where this subject was painted helps to appreciate the body of work. A series can be related in size, color, subject, or any other curious thought provoking idea, so that it can communicate in such a way that the body of work stands well together, or individually.

Some of you may recall I have been working on painting a series of landscape scenes of my family farm. I've come up with "Variations on a Scene"...how simple is that? Anyway, some of my previously posted studies have moved onto the larger sized formats.

Harvest Glow
Estuary at Dusk
Color Field

A series can sometimes take a lifetime for an artist to complete. What a feeling it must be to make that mark! Because of the nature of my life with family, it will probably take me some time to complete this series. Hopefully I won't tire of the idea before the flame goes out. Posted above is one of my 6x6" studies that may end up as a larger piece for the series. I do these "studies" first to see if it fits into the series.