November Reflections Nov 16, 2015

All is quiet now on Lake Bomoseen.

November has a reserved and understated personality all its own.

9X18
Watermedia on panel

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The Lake

by James Mee

Summer and the memories made,  

the laughter, and the games we played,  

covered now ‘neath fallen leaves,  

the tapestry November weaves.  

The boats are gone to where they go.

The trees bare-limbed waiting for snow.  

The camps are closed, there’s solitude.

There’s not a ripple to intrude.

The lake, a mirror of perfection,

shares with us its reflections.

Not something one soon forgets

this mirror made of water wet.

Astonishing this time of year  

when the double-world appears.   

The lake’s expression of the two  

a gift it gives to me and you.

Copyright 2015 James Mee  Grandpa’s Knob, Vermont  All Rights Reserved

℅ Publishers Licensing Corporation 48 South Park Street Unit 615 Montclair, New Jersey 07042

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Where does inspiration come from?

Every artist employs a few strategies.

For this painter finding our subjects for A Day in Vermont is half the fun.

And baking them piping-hot-fresh is always the best.

While I have thousands of old photos I could potentially work from, discovering something new TODAY goes a long way toward starting my creative engine.

You see it’s not just an image that I hope to capture and share…it’s the authentic Vermont experience.

So once or twice a week I embark on a new adventure looking for inspiration. I’m more than willing to go out and meet it halfway. Sometimes I have a specific destination in mind, but most often I simply follow my heart.

But last week I was stuck at home with a cold.

By Thursday I was getting worried…what was I going to paint for this week?

Just then from out of the blue, a friend sent me a great photo she had just taken on Lake Bomoseen.

Inspiration can come from anywhere, just in the nick of time.

Thank you Darcy DeLancy Smith!

Comments Add Yours

  • Karen Charnley says:

    So excited to see this! When my sister, Darcy, sent me the pic I fell in love right away.
    I didn’t think a painting could do it justice, but you proved me wrong.
    I ordered Angel Wings from you for a family.
    Just wanted to let you know how much I love this scene and your painting!

  • David Churchill says:

    Love that picture. We always drive around Lake Bomoseen whenever we come back to Vermont for a visit. I have many happy memories of when I was younger, riding in Dad’s boat whenever he was patrolling the lake, checking fishing licenses, and getting water lilies for Mom.

  • Claire deLancey says:

    Just beautiful, my daughter is thrilled that you painted her picture. If you want more places to check out, come to Echo Lake, Sudbury, Vermont not far from Bomoseen.

  • Darcy Smith says:

    I am honored you chose to paint my photo. Your work is just stunning!

    • Peter Huntoon says:

      You sent it a just the right time Darcy, I was wondering what to paint and I couldn’t go out. timing is everything. Well almost everything…your photo is excellent too!

  • Olivia says:

    Absolutely beautiful painting, a favorite! Lovely poem as well.

    • Peter Huntoon says:

      James and I have “collaborated” on a few of these Olivia, he certainly has a way with words. I think we make a good team. Thanks very much and see you next week!

  • Steve Heim says:

    Gorgeous how you captured the calm and quiet of late fall; the stillness is palpable. Conventional wisdom might suggest that the essence of serenity is best conveyed with a limited analogous palette, but you can evoke it using this motley scheme. Brilliant! It’s a celebration of reflection, of peace and calm.

    • Peter Huntoon says:

      Thanks very much Steve. I think I mentioned the idea of Yin/Yang and opposite polarities when you visited the studio. In this case I chose to counter the extreme horizontal format (that suggests repose/calm/peace) with an exuberant color combination. As a Libra, Balance is always on my mind. 🙂

  • Brian Blaine says:

    For most of my childhood a kind neighbor would take my sister and I to spend a few days on Greenwood Lake in Hardwick each year. The view across the lake was much like this scene on Lake Bomoseen. Your painting brought back powerful memories and feelings. Autumn trees, newly bare of leaves for another season, reflections on still waters, an overwhelming sense of peace.

    • Peter Huntoon says:

      Whe artwork manages to evoke a feeling, good or bad, something is working. I’m very glad it’s a positive/good feeling for my work, at least in most cases. That’s certainly what I put into it. Thanks Brian!

  • Muriel Brown says:

    I’m speechless which is unusual for me! This is truly a beautiful piece bringing back so many memories of living on a lake when I was young. The windless days of calmness so early in the morning or in the warm evenings and early fall when there wasn’t a moving breath of air. Thanks!!

    • Peter Huntoon says:

      That’s funny Muriel, and I’m happy you caught your breath and found something really nice to say, as usual. Thanks very much!

  • cynthia adams says:

    Such serenity… I always enjoy reflections and in this painting the pastels along w/ the darker trees is a beautiful mirror scene. Cindy

  • Mary Fran says:

    Absolutely wonderful Peter!! Just glorious! I could look at it all day, every day. Thanks for bringing out the beauty in our lives in your paintings, and for sharing it with all of us. Though I don’t often comment, I await your next jewel each week. Glad your cold is better!

    • Peter Huntoon says:

      Thanks very much Mary Fran, I appreciate all the support, all these years. Like you I suspect and many other of our artist friends, I measure my days in paint, and always strive for gradual improvement. When I can manage to muster a good painting, everything else just falls into place. Getting to share it with so many nice people is icing on the cake.

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