The crash of waves is just a symphony of sounds and
images, I knew I wanted to paint something that reminds me of the experience
and retells that serene moment. How I would approach the idea weeks later sitting
in my studio in the middle of a Midwest winter was to rely heavily on my
sketches from the beach and my visual memory. This work was the combination of
watercolor sketches, drawings and imagination. So it became a blend of observation
and interpretation. It is such a beautiful beach, I hope my memory does it
justice.
This sketch was painted on the beach in Cancun Mexico.
This was a tough sketch to do on location because of the intense sunlight. I knew I would struggle with values, even when squinted down it was hard to separate values. Plus I think there was a bit of sensory
overload. I just need to keep in mind that painting on location is much more
about learning to see than it is about
producing a finished image.
The goal is to take the information that nature presents
in front of me and express my reactions and feelings about that subject. Which is something a camera cannot do and by staring at a monitor in a studio, you will
never experience. When painting on location you have to, at some point trust the
process rather than focus on the end result and just let go of expectations. It
is also important for you to enjoy the process, in this environment I could have happily
spent hours just mixing different shades of blue, learning new colors,
discovering new paint mixes on my palette and having the time of my life doing
it. There is no better way to hone ones skills.
Wind, Water, Wave, Oil on panel, 9 x 12 in. © Jim Serrett
Cancun Beach, oil on panel, 9 x 12 in. © Jim Serrett
"No Expectations" Mick Jagger / Keith Richards
Take me to the station
And put me on a train
I've got no expectations
To pass through here again
Once I was a rich man
Now I am so poor
But never in my sweet short life
Have I felt like this before
Your heart is like a diamond
You throw your pearls at swine
And as I watch you leaving me
You pack my peace of mind
Our love was like the water
That splashes on a stone
Our love is like our music
Its here, and then its gone
So take me to the airport
And put me on a plane
I got no expectations
To pass through here again
And put me on a train
I've got no expectations
To pass through here again
Once I was a rich man
Now I am so poor
But never in my sweet short life
Have I felt like this before
Your heart is like a diamond
You throw your pearls at swine
And as I watch you leaving me
You pack my peace of mind
Our love was like the water
That splashes on a stone
Our love is like our music
Its here, and then its gone
So take me to the airport
And put me on a plane
I got no expectations
To pass through here again
The Rolling Stones
Mick Jagger — vocals
Ronnie Woods — slide guitar
Keith Richards — acoustic guitar
Bill Wyman — bass guitar
Charlie Watts — claves
Nicky Hopkins — piano
