The open road is one of my recurring themes. I'm returning to it again, and it never gets old. I think that the theme of road trip is loaded with possibilities. Many of us have special memories of road trips taken as a child - perhaps piling into dad's old station wagon to drive to Grandma's place three states away. Or may be your first real adventure during college years. Just you, your best buddy, $100, and a beat up Honda.
You can just hear Janis Joplin blasting from the AM radio and you don't even care that you don't have a reservation at a motel that night. In fact you don't know where you're going. You don't even know where you are at any given point. There's a real sense of freedom when you're behind the wheel on such a trip, isn't there? It's a mixture of uncertainty, hope, adventure... These are the emotions that I like to explore, and try to trigger in my paintings.
A lot of the times, I just end up with a pretty landscape painting that doesn't do much else. But sometimes it causes a stir in myself, and I know I've got something. The emotional response is an elusive thing for a "mere" landscape painting, but well worth pursuing. When people connect with a painting in a really personal way, even though the picture shows nothing but a road, trees and the open landscape, it's a powerful thing.
I can't say what it is that differentiates a simple landscape painting that triggers an emotional response and one that doesn't, but there's definitely something there. The quality of light has a lot to do with it, but what about it? If I can pinpoint that factor and paint it on purpose, that would certainly be an achievement.
These are all small paintings; 6 x 8 inches. I have a bunch more and I will share them here as I photograph them. Once I go through all my current 6 x 8 panels, I'll go to 9 x 12's and then larger. I intend to eventually get to bigger paintings for my show this fall.
Stay tuned~
Stay tuned~
14 comments:
Just beautiful!
Who wouldn't be ready to "hit the road" after seeing these highway scenes..each spectacular in their own way! Aw...the memories of past trips!!!
Terry, these are great. The first and last one definitely give me that emotional response you mention. Why? I wish I could explain it myself. I think part of it is the generous foreground - like I am standing there ready to start the journey.
I love your road trip paintings. I first saw your work (and most were similar to these) at the late, great Exploding Head Gallery in Sacto. I was impressed by their "lack" of color and dream-like quality. Indeed, I have dreams about going down small country roads...dreams that probably bubble up from memories of family road trips into the Sierra foothills and delta region when I was growing up in Stockton.
For me, all art that I like triggers an emotional response. Wasn't Janice Joplin a bit before your time, Terry? LOL Unless, like me, you listen to the oldies (And she was probably a generation ahead of me!)...I love road trips, just seeing the beautiful country. Love all of these paintings, especially since you've shared your memories.
Wonderful paintings. I have always enjoyed these "road" theme paintings that you have done. My favourite was "shadow on one" and I had almost stated believing that you were not going to paint these things again. So nice really to see these new ones.
Best wishes.
Thanks adebanji, Ann, Jeremy, DaLo, Autumn and Vinayak!
The road trip is not the same anymore when you're (that is, *I am*) all grown up and have an SUV with nav, reservations at hotels and restaurants, not worried about whether the last $1.25 is enough for dinner (a cup of coffee) or if you're going to run out of gas before you get to the next town where you'll hopefully find a gas station that'll take a check which probably won't clear.
Once in a while, I get a painting that brings back all those memories, and I rediscover the power of a simple painting. Keeps me hooked!
Autumn, Janis Joplin is indeed before my time but then I listen to all kinds of music, from Mozart to Lady Gaga!
I distinctly remember on one road trip, driving down a stretch of highway in Utah or Idaho, Joplin came on the radio singing "...windshield wipers slapping time".
Ah, those were the days~
These are great paintings Terry. Really well done.
…and now is your days to, Terry, be able to feel the spell of times gone by whith such pleasure and passion and then stitch it masterfully whit a series of well done little paints is not small potatoes, my friend.
Haloa!
I was out of circulation for to, to long because of accumulations of work creation preparedness, hangings and openings. Today I rejoice to come to enjoin the camaraderie of friend artists, a most important part of me been or tray to be an artist.
Thanks Thomas! Thanks Gilberto!
You certainly hit the nail on the head with that posting, Terry! Maybe you should add some prose to your painting books... Brings to mind the last roadtrip I took alone before I started my "real adult job". 24years old I drove up to Redding, Shasta and the Trinty Mountains back over to the coast and down Hwy 1, no motel reservations and just a AAA map to go by. My old green Datsun SW had worn brakes and there I was nose to nose with a giant redwood logging truck on an uphill dirt road. The driver gave me good advice "There ain't nothing up there for you missy. Best turn around and go back." I wish I was painting back then, I was only taking photos!
Janice, thanks for sharing your road trip reminiscence! there's something universal and personal about the road trip experience, isn't there. hmmm I need to dig deeper.
I think at one time or another, we all yearn for the "open" road...maybe just to get away from it all...to be free of everyday, mundane, stressful stuff.
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