Out of the Night is one of my more "illustrious" paintings. 'Way back in high school we had to memorize (and recite) "Invictus", the first line of which was, "Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole..." I spent a lot of time in the '80's at Southport, NC, poking around what was left of Fort Caswell, which by then was a summer camp. Late at night I shot a photo from the dimly lit inside of one of the old barracks, looking out to the porch column which was illuminated by a bare bulb. It was a spooky, metaphysical moment, bringing to mind that line from the poem. I later turned it into this painting, which is another widely exhibited gouache. The colors are not quite as dark as they appear here, but the mystery and other-worldly feeling are there.Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Out of the Night That Covers Me
Out of the Night is one of my more "illustrious" paintings. 'Way back in high school we had to memorize (and recite) "Invictus", the first line of which was, "Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole..." I spent a lot of time in the '80's at Southport, NC, poking around what was left of Fort Caswell, which by then was a summer camp. Late at night I shot a photo from the dimly lit inside of one of the old barracks, looking out to the porch column which was illuminated by a bare bulb. It was a spooky, metaphysical moment, bringing to mind that line from the poem. I later turned it into this painting, which is another widely exhibited gouache. The colors are not quite as dark as they appear here, but the mystery and other-worldly feeling are there.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Becton Park, Part 1
Big surprise here! This was my style for 20 years - hard edges and high contrast. Becton Park Part 1 was quite successful, taking "Best in Show" at a national competition. It was also featured in shows at the Fayetteville Museum of Art and Weatherspoon Gallery at UNC-Greensboro. The actual colors are warmer (this image is from a CD of my slides, which are much truer). I have decided to sell this painting and others that remain from my work with gouache (pronounced "gwash" - it's opaque watercolor). I doubt there will be any more produced in that medium, which was perfect for the body of work to be offered, but no longer suitable for my current direction. They'll be posted soon on my website (www.BethStafford.com) .
About the Becton Park Series: there is a subdivision by that name in Charlotte, NC. It has a scalloped wall surrounding the development and each back yard. With the cookie-cutter houses and that wall running everywhere, it felt like something from the Twilight Zone. Nevertheless, it was full of interesting compositions and I enjoyed making the four paintings that resulted.
About the Becton Park Series: there is a subdivision by that name in Charlotte, NC. It has a scalloped wall surrounding the development and each back yard. With the cookie-cutter houses and that wall running everywhere, it felt like something from the Twilight Zone. Nevertheless, it was full of interesting compositions and I enjoyed making the four paintings that resulted.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Sketch?
No, this isn't another UFO - it's a "PiCassieO" (Sidewalk Spirits), which is one of my digital works. Looks like I've come full circle with that art form; now I'm wanting to explore this art in more depth (with real paint again) . I can even see it done in 3-D, like some of Arp's abstractions. My PiCassieO blog is http://www.airedale-art.blogspot.com, if you'd like to see more. There will never be enough time to do everything that's in my head, but this is one I hope to complete!
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