This rock formation one can see in the Big Bear Lake Area, 2 hours. NE of L.A. It's a very touristy area, but we found the "lumpy bumpy" back road. For most part an unpaved road that only locals who have dogs, know. We park the car and then we hike. We ate our lunch here once, and took some pics. When I saw the pic, I mused about the very unusual position these rocks had, as well as their surface.
Rocks are another favorite thing for me to paint in watercolor! This painting has been chosen for several juried exhibitions (it is an exhibit that has a jury, and you have to send in your slide of the painting, even to be a participant in the exhibit).
To put my painting in an art show is most often rather uneventful. I get accepted in a show, my paintings are displayed, and that's the whole story. Not this time!
This painting was one of four chosen to be exhibited in an art show of 60 artists at a university in Los Angeles. The show was in a beautiful, mostly glass building. On the ground floor was not much wall space, so all the tiny art works were displayed there. All the larger size paintings were on the second story gallery.
It was a somewhat humbling experience when I saw two art students sitting down in front of it and copying the painting (no matter how much confidence one has in one's work, this is an awkward situation). I was very glad that we didn't have to wear name tags, so I passed them quickly and went downstairs.
This was not the end of the story.
© 18 x 24, Watercolor, St.Germain
What I had not counted on, was the exuberance of my then 12 year old son. He called from the balcony, loud enough for the whole building to hear,
"Mom, your paintings...they're here...four of them!"
I nodded and put my index finger to my lips. People started looking upstairs, but before they made the connection to me, I moved away as fast as I could from the direction my son was looking down at.
Acknowledgment is okay, but I shy away from being in the spotlight - not my cup of tea!
Don't say, "Oh, you shouldn't have done that!" Some of you probably would have done the same, LOL!
20 comments:
You're right. I would have been mortified and done the same thing.
The painting of the rocks is beautiful, though, and you can be rightly proud of yourself. I hope we get to see the other three some day.
It's a beautiful painting. How nice to be honored like that!
Als er weer wat meer tijd is zal ik mijn fascinatie met stenen in vilt uitbeelden. Ik heb ze wel eens in een evironmental art project ingepakt en dat was ook heel mooi!
Maar jouw schilderij heeft heel veel impact op mij...wat schitterend!
liefs
yvette
ot...ik ga je nu in mijn blogrol zetten om je posts niet te missen!
You are 100% correct, "you shouldn't of done that" and "I would have done the same". LOL!! Really beautiful Jeannette.
These rocks appeal to my imagination! They look like sleeping trolls on top of each other. You know that in Norway it was believed that trolls turn into rocks when they don't hide during the day and walk in the sunlight.
But I believe that your painting is very beautiful and your son was very wise to draw anybody's attention to your paintings.
Yvette,
Hope that you don't mind I answer in English. Because I came back to art here in America, my artful language is much more developed in English than in Dutch.
You do very different things with felt than I have ever seen,, so I imagine that somehow you can integrate fiber in/with rocks and stone.
Joan,
When I think about it, I guess I wouldn't have done it any different! I shudder to be ever counted with the people who enjoy attracting attention to themselves
Hmmm...interesting watercolour~! It looks a bit like a heart (you know, the human organ...). What type of plant is it that grows on the rock?
I would have done the same thing! Your watercolor rocks are gorgeous.
Something very strange about your watercolour of the rock, Jeannette. It is triggering a long-dead memory, but I can't put my finger on it. Weird. The painting is lovely however.
Reader Wil,
Yes, I vaguely remember the Norwegian folk tale. Thanks for sharing. It's interesting with this painting that people see all kinds of things in the rocks.
I'll pass it on to my son (who lives now in China) -he'll get a kick out of that.
Sreddy,
Yes, people see all kinds of things in these rocks! That's why I posted also the photo of it, to show that it's a real rock formation:) What you see growing is BEHIND these rocks, and it's the top of a tree.
Irene,
Sorry, you were first - I'm very distracted this week (it's because I've been for a few days at my old house).
Thanks you Irene for your kind comments about the painting. And I'm glad (maybe it's Dutch?) that someone would have the same reaction LOL
Rudee,
Also to you I apologize for going out of order with responses. Thank you, I guess I still have to learn to be gracious in accepting to be honored!
Diane,
Thank you Diane in your response to the painting. Now I've my emotional reaction on my post, and I see the different reactions to it, it gives me something to think about!
Poetikat,
That is interesting, that it triggers a memory. I hope it is a good one? I'm now thinking, maybe because people see all kinds of things in these rocks?
To me too these rocks give the impression of being "alive" (both the photo and the water colour)...
Thank you Dawn
- to me they WERE alive!
I absolutely, positively LOVE the rock painting.
I understand what you mean about the spotlight thing. When I was a featured artist, I hated it. I liked my paintings on the wall, but I didn't enjoy walking around with a name tag.
Neetzy,
Somehow my email did not warn me about your comment on this post - sorry!
Thanks, it's one of those paintings that went well from the beginning to the end:)
Somehow, when I was a teen it did not face (spelling?) me, being in the spotlight, but now I'm older...(maybe I had my share, and now I had enough to last me for a life time).
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