Don't Be Afraid of Color

There was a time when I avoided certain colors because they were so aggressive.  Red was especially intimidating.  Over time, however, I began to realize that I was drawn to paintings with lots of reds and oranges and other warm colors.  I started experimenting, making color a subject in and of itself.

I've painted this scene a hundred times.  A realistic interpretation demands blue sky, green trees and brown rocks.  But producing a glowing, color-unified painting requires more thought.  I was not trying to depict a sunset when I chose this warm palette; I was trying to evoke a response to a color choice that was more personal to me and that produced an emotional reaction in the viewer.

Using a bit of the complement at the focal point was also a deliberate choice.  Adding relief in the choice of green makes the red all the more powerful.

The subject matter is still a lighthouse, but the primary subject--the colors-- evokes a mood and conveys my personal response to the scene.