On My Stand - Mid-April 2024
What I'm Enjoying This Month
Quick Recap: I decided to have a local artist build a book display stand for me so I could view my collection of artbooks throughout a given month: selecting one each month and then periodically turning the pages to see more of the content. This publication is a brief snapshot of what’s “on my stand” this month. See the genesis of this idea HERE. See the first post from this month HERE. And to be clear: Unless otherwise identified in the text, I do NOT own any of the images you’ll see in this publication nor am I claiming any credit for having any part in producing them.
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April 2024 - Julie’s Choice:
”Watercolor Road” by Wyatt Waters
As a note, my wife does not typically get involved when I’m purchasing artbooks for my collection. Inevitably there are some she likes and some she doesn’t. However, every few months or so, I ask Julie to select a book to go “On My Stand.” This is her choice for April 2024.
My first April post on the paintings of Wyatt Waters centered on his use of color and light that draws me in to the scenes he chooses to paint en plein air. For this mid-month musing, my focus shifts to the intersection of these earlier elements of color and light, with his subject selection and composition.
Several of the images I selected for this post include water. Capturing the simultaneous stillness and slight movements in a body of water can feel difficult to impossible for many artists. Wyatt's use of color again draws the eye across the paper, almost expecting to see fish nipping at the surface of a lake or darting under a dock. In tandem with the ripples on the surface, the water maintains an ethereal softness, generating more questions than answers.
The paintings of Cedar Key (“Five O’Clock Somewhere”), Charleston (“Just Around the Corner There’s A Rainbow”), and Apalachicola (“But Answer Came There None - The Walrus and the Carpenter”) offer examples of Wyatt's desire to paint everyday scenes, leaving elements in the pictures that remind the viewer that this is real life. A mound of oyster shells is prominent in the foreground, cars line the streets, and electric lines interrupt a stunning sunset. Some might want those features to vanish to allow for less obstructed views. However, these are the signs of life: oysters shucked by human hands, vehicles that move people, and homes that need power.
A true artist, I believe, readily sees possibility and beauty where others may not. Wyatt's "Garden and Gun" from St. Augustine, Florida, provides an idyllic public space for a painting. I doubt a passerby would have questioned why someone would want to paint the gazebo, cannon, and live oaks. Yet, "Humpty Dumpty" simply offers the viewer a couple of pots on a stone wall, and one pot lacks the perfection it once had. Maybe Wyatt thought about the analogy of broken things or people still having use and beauty, or how challenging it is for flawed people to feel adequate when compared to those not outwardly damaged. Or maybe he didn't. Either way, the painting is powerful.
Paint the first thing you see first. Paint the second thing you see second. - Wyatt Waters
I appreciate Wyatt Waters' artistry on many levels, but I always savor the creative elements that offer a nugget of surprise. Wyatt gives his viewers a little gift with his interesting, often play-on-words titles. In addition to the images shared here, how can you not like "I Told You I Was Sick" (a cemetery scene), "All Tied Up Now" (boat at a dock), or "Barn in the USA" (tractor in a pole barn)?
I am grateful Daryl found The Watercolor Road and introduced me to this great artist. This book is more than a coffee table paperweight. It chronicles the travels Wyatt and his wife took across the southeast, camping in their trailer, painting southern locales, and reflecting on a lifetime as an artist. It is a fun and inspiring read and an even better visual journey.
Purchasing Note: You can purchase this book from Wyatt’s site HERE.
When beginning a watercolor, I either start with that part I am fearful of painting or that image that I must start first because it delights me. Good analogy for life.