More times than I can count I have been told/read that in the early stages of painting a particular scene, a crucial step is to pin down the concept, the “why” of my effort. What is it about the subject that appealed to me in the very beginning? That is the controlling force, the guide. Getting lost in the details and losing focus is so easy. Recently, I spent a few nights at Glen Ferris Inn while attending an art workshop in Montgomery, WV. Leaving for class early one morning, I stepped out into the parking lot only to be greeted by a bank of fog that hung over the Kanawha River and the falls located in the rear of the inn. As thick as soup it curtained visibility and only allowed the tops of mountains access. I was stopped in my tracks at the strange, other-worldly beauty of the sight. If I have ever experienced a “why” to paint, I was confronted by one on that cool morning in the parking lot. After getting home, I have tried to do a few small studies of my impressions hoping that a larger piece is forthcoming.
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