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I first became acquainted with the simple and powerful descriptions of nature in the oil paintings of Lockwood De Forest at the Sullivan Goss Gallery in Santa Barbara, CA. The gallery represents the De Forest estate, as the architect/importer/painter spent much of his time here, and built a house where he died in 1932 (b. 1850)
At first glance, the majority of his paintings seem simple, almost under-worked. Then you realize that the painter has already worked his magic upon you, giving you in just a few strokes an authentic experience of a sunset, a moon-rise, a treeline. He focuses on the relative placement and proportion of shapes, employs limited color, and concentrates on tonal contrast and diffused light. The works are earthy, but speak of the wonder of Creation, and the simple enjoyment of being alive. To me, that is what a great artist does in his/her work–gives the viewer a new experience of being alive, by appreciating our visual and spiritual connection to our visible world.
