Black and White Friday

Being in Key West last week was amazing sensual delight in too many ways to account for in this blog post. I truly forgot how beautiful it is. To be immersed in endless sky and water was a reminder in how spacious we really are inside.

In contrast, “The Island City”, is anything but spacious. Tightly packed streets and lanes are the foundation for some of the most delightful architecture on the east coast. The sub-tropical sun creates dynamic contrasts and sublime shadows that are an artist’s and photographer’s dream.

When I lived there, I used to paint watercolors “en plein air” with a woman who I consider to be my first real art teacher: Sanford Birdsey. We would go out on Saturday mornings and paint the street scenes and architecture of Key West. She would stress composition and value over color. She said that once you have the first two, it doesn't necessarily matter what color you paint with. I agree. In a place that bursts with color, the intensity of values translate beautifully in black and white. So it is with this photo that I  begin my series of posts called, “Black and White Friday”

This one is for you Sanford. Memory Eternal.

Saturday Morning on Southard - Key West
©K.VanAernum

There Is No Key

I stare at the box of watercolor paper I just purchased and feel my resistance to dive in. I honestly don't know what I'm waiting for. Van Gogh said, "One becomes a painter by painting." So the minute one is in the act of creating, one is an artist. There is no becoming, you just are.

"What you need is to free yourself from your own

preconceived ideas about yourself. It will take a revolution to do it,

and many times you will think yourself on the road only to find

that the old habit has possessed you again with a new preconception.

But if you can at least to a degree free yourself,

take your head off your heart and give the latter a chance,

something may come of it.

The results will not be what you expect,

but they will be like you and will be the best

that can come from you.

There will be a lot more pleasure in the doing."

- Robert Henri, The Art Spirit

Okay, time to dive in.