Have you ever looked at the sky – I mean really looked at it? How about the color of the grass or the blue or green of the ocean?

Learning about art forces me to think about where the light is coming from within my painting. This light force gives different colors to a sky. If the sun is to the right in the painting, that sky will be lighter than the sky on the left. If a tree or light is reflected in water, the reflection can be obscure in color or shading.

If the mountains or valleys are far away, there is a vague opaque of blue. Look at a colored photograph of faraway mountains and see what I mean. That must be captured within a painting to show distance, something I still find challenging to do.

Since I have taken up oil painting, I find myself looking at what I see in a different way. When looking at the sky, I think about the shades of blue, or grays within the clouds on an overcast day, always noting that blue is reflected, even if slightly, within the clouds.

Life is full of color if we look at it closely. Accepting different colors, moods, shading, light – the infinite light that lies within each of us gives color to our world, if we only slow down and take a look.

Skies aren’t just blue. Grass is not just green. Beaches are not just tan or white. People are not just black, or white, or brown, light or dark. They are an amalgam of generations, DNA, experiences, challenges, joy and sorrow.

Each person carries their own individual light, and each light force can make up a beautiful world, if that’s what we choose to see.

I find it difficult to find my own light sometimes. Life gets messy, difficult, dark, challenging. It is within those times I must remember to take a breath, rely on the help of the lights of those around me, and take a long hard look at others and see their light, even if they choose to hide it from themselves. I know it’s there.

Copyright © Kathy Fountaine (image and text)