Tuesday, April 10, 2012

solitude

"Solitude -- being alone with thoughts and feelings -- contributes to productivity in creative work."

Richard Shiff in Van Gogh Up Close, Edited by Cornelia Homburg, Yale University Press
Solitude in the studio. I am in complete control of the sounds, the temperature, the light, the mood, the subject. I allow no interruptions and I feel my focus narrow to what is right in front of me. In this case, my beloved beach path, but this time with Looking Glass colors. More to come with this palette. I feel its zest on my tongue!

I am reading the book "Van Gogh Up Close" from the Van Gogh exhibit of the same name I saw at the Philadelphia Museum of Art earlier this year. You can learn more about that show and see some of the paintings in this Charlie Rose interview with the curators of the show here.

Some days solitude is one of those "Precious Things" Tori Amos sings about.

12 comments:

Casey Klahn said...

I agree with Rishel @ not interpreting VG's work through his mental illness. He is a good curator.

Thanks for the link - very enjoyable.

Your work is striking! Love it.

SamArtDog said...

I'm so glad to see this pinky beach path one. I noticed it on the floor of your studio in your last post. A show of all your variations of this place will be awesome!

Thanks for posting this Charlie Rose interview about the Van Gogh exhibit. I have lunch most days with Charlie and consider it to be one of the best parts of the day. As usual, this show was terrific.

Jan Yates, SCA said...

I love Tori Amos- colourful artist full of range and passion-much like this emotive and evocative painting

Kitty Wallis said...

Beautiful Painting! Rich, Passionate, full of feeling.

Dewberry Fine Art said...

Yummy color Katherine! Love your thoughts. Looking forward to what's next.

Suzanne said...

I love your vibrant colors that give such a different feeling of the beach. Thanks for sharing the Charlie Rose interview and Tori's music for the precious, solitude hours in "The Studio".

Katherine van Schoonhoven said...

Thanks, Casey. Good to see that you shared the video on your blog, too! Van Gogh's work is beautiful in person. I'm lucky to have seen it in Philly.

Katherine van Schoonhoven said...

Sam! I'm submitting some of the beach path paintings to a show next month. I'll let you know if they get in!

I was thrilled to see how many of the paintings they showed in the Rose interview. It was almost as good as being there.

Katherine van Schoonhoven said...

Jan -- I'm not quite sure why it's so tough to just let go and go for it, but once it starts to happen, it seems it's easier to feel my way through it! So exciting to see your wanderings in Ireland now!

Katherine van Schoonhoven said...

Thank you, Kitty! You've described exactly where I want to be with my work.

Katherine van Schoonhoven said...

Dori! Thanks! We need to talk about you and Marge coming up for a visit. Write me, okay?

Katherine van Schoonhoven said...

Suzanne! Thanks for the comments. Soon we'll be painting together. You just have to stop coughing!!