One of the great gifts John has given me has been another way of looking at light. We would be sitting, talking, and I would notice that his eyes had strayed. Hmmmn, J, what are you looking at? How the light is hitting the wall he would reply and so it goes over the years, as I try to see what he sees. And I can't do that but I have learned to be much more observant of the qualities of light, the power of light. On his studio wall is a wonderful quote by Edward Hooper to Andrew Wyeth. "Andy, as I get older the only thing I want to paint is how sunlight hits a white wall."
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| Summer Light, Liz Davidson, 2012 |
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| Her Bed, 2003, John Ballantyne |
I love them both - and long may John continue to paint light on white walls...just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThanks Fiona, I can't imagine a time when J. wouldn't paint light. We have been having wonderful discussions about how our techniques may change as we age. I tease him that he may become an abstract expressionist, but it would still be all about light.
DeleteMe too - both wonderful - simplicity at it's most profound!
ReplyDeleteThanks Rosie, I was trying to find an older painting of J's to use, but everything older is on slide and has not been transferred to digital. Great fun to look through his old work.
DeleteI like John ..... there is true understanding of how his mind can wander off 'to watch how the light is hitting the wall. i have one of those visually wandering minds too. Lovely for you two to be able to share those moments.
ReplyDeleteThanks Susan, I love minds that wonder off to watch. And I especially love it when he tells me and I start to notice the dance. Then we have very funny conversations about what colors he would use to paint it, and of course I put my 2 cents in not having a clue how to mix paint.
DeleteThe older I get the more I know that seeing the light is a gift, an extraordinary gift of deep beauty.
ReplyDeleteEven the light of a dark starlit night.
I agree with you totally , thanks Leslie
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