Discussions with Mark Norseth

I  have had an agreement with myself for a number of years, and that is that as often as possible,  I’ll paint my watercolors from direct observation.

This commitment arose from a real desire to observe life and react in paint as directly as possible.  To work i situations where everything is moving, the people, the light, and the effect, is an exciting challenge, and pretty much the only way to keep me interested  in watercolor.

Painting on location, being in the beehive,  also has it’s drawbacks…you can make bad decisions in the heat of battle, carry something too far, or lose your objective. But after a while, I believe that you learn  to collect and focus all your facilities, and see/respond to the world in a much more real and vivid way.

King Street Market 16 x 12″                                                                    Watercolor

This is the latest, an abstract composition of forms defined mostly by color; the colors mostly subtle grays. These trees, rather homely as trees go, have been transformed by the constant assault of nature, and have a runty survivor’s dignity.  The color scheme and I go back to childhood;  I like weathered, silver grey beach houses and driftwood fences, dried grasses, and sand peppered by violet shadows.  Not colorful?  Look again.

The small indication of the figure was added today, and she may or may not stay.   The composition may hold up  without her, but the warm tones of her figure  and the suggestion of scale thrown into this blender of lights and darks seemed helpful.

untitled, oil on hand primed linen, 22 x 24″

I can finally put this into “sleep” mode  and let it dry for varnishing.  The whole experience of painting it has been a privilege, really, as well as a continuing part of my education.

When I look back at my intentions, and see the finished painting, it’s not unlike what a parent must feel when they suddenly see their child through detached eyes, see them grown,  mature and independent.   They’ve become something that is part of you, and yet become themselves as well.  This piece is like that. It’s only partly what I anticipated, but perhaps the part that is “itself”  is better than what I had planned, and it’s good that it works that way.  I wouldn’t want full control even if I could get it.

untitled, 21 x 27 ” oil on linen

As far as intentions go, I can say that it has the breeziness and movement that I was after, I find that my eye moves through it pretty well, and the color and contrasts are true to the look and the spirit of the place.  It’s got the being-there feeling that I think is the whole point of, well, being there.

My personal sentiments remain the same…I wonder where this painting will be one day, if people will recognize the care that is behind it. Hopefully so.  It may end up anywhere in the world, because you never can tell about these things.  But I’ve had the experience of the work itself, the being-there part. Setting up in the early morning, fighting the wind and the light changes,  meeting the people you will always meet, and rethinking and scraping down difficult passages; the whole bit.  Always wondering, always debating my choices.  The foreground has been reworked four times, I’d guess.  But it works now.

I rebuilt the stretcher bars to a lighter weight, the 4″ ones were too much, and the frame is currently awaiting it’s final finish.  I look forward to seeing it varnished…that’s like the baptism.  That’s when the deal is sealed.

There’s more coming, trust me.  I worked on two studies this morning, which may remain as small pieces, within yards of this place.  I guess it just suits me.