And To All A Good Night

I want to send you wishes of love, joy and peace for this holiday season.  Keep those you love close to you and you will never feel the cold winds on a Winter night.  See you in 2017!

"Silent Night" Original Watercolor
on Yupo Plastic Paper
Krys Pettit

White Winters - How Artists Portray the Coldest Season

"Branch in the Snow" Andrew Wyeth

"Winter 1899" Edvard Munch

"Snow Scene at Argenteuil" Claude Monet

"Winter Landscape" Wassily Kandinsky

Snow--I have seen a lot of it in my day, from my years as a child in New Jersey, to the tumultuous tons of snow that landed in upstate New York in the winter (and even in May!) during my college years and the early part of my career.  Living in Raleigh brought ice but an occasional whopper of a blizzard.  No one would drive in snow in the Triangle area if they grew up in the South -- no one knew how. And, of course, the snow was for the most part, white.

But white snow is not so inspiring to many an artist.  We love color, texture and there is more than one way to add color to the fluffy white stuff as you can see by some of these classic winter paintings by the masters that I have shared above.

Below are my remembrances of cold days in upstate New York.  They are both small fleeting pieces of work in watercolor - perhaps because I was always ready to leave the crisp frigidity of Winter for warmer places.

"Winter Sunset"
Watercolor by Krys Pettit

"Early Winter Afternoon -Tioga County New York
Watercolor by Krys Pettit

Picture Perfect Pears

"Petit Poire" watercolor on paper
Private Collection

"Pair of Pears" watercolor on paper

"Juicy" watercolor on paper

"4 Pears" watercolor on paper
Private Collection

Some artists love to paint still lifes -- bowls or fruit or vegetables on table tops with maybe a bouquet of flowers, a vase, or even a candlestick for more atmosphere.  Personally, I don't enjoy painting still lifes.  Let someone else do the delightful pomegranate or lovely plum.  However, I have this fixation with pears.
Love to paint pears.  I'm not sure if it is the sensuous shape - they are not just round, the are a combination of round and triangular, almost classically shaped, each one individual and unique, unlike say a lemon or an orange.  And the colors vary -- from a warm yellow, a deep rich red  to a bronzed gold with markings and stripes decorating them.
I've painted them in oil and watercolor -- I prefer watercolor.  It seems a better medium to bring out the transparency of their rich colors of their skins.
But I love eating them too -- sliced with vanilla ice cream, partnered with asiago cheese. Or maybe in a classic French tart this this delightful recipe thanks to the great pastry chef, David Lebovitz.
David Lebovitz Pear and Almond Tart
Right now it is pear season so stock up on all those beautifully colored, sweet and juicy jewels.  Eat them if you must -- or just use them as some very willing models (and gobble them up when the art work is complete.)

This Thanksgiving

Norman Rockwell is well known for his paintings and illustrations of American life. Although somewhat dated and perhaps not representational of the diversity of our nation they carry a message.
And this Thanksgiving it seemed somehow very appropriate to share with you his famous paintings, "The Four Freedoms."
I don't have a lot to say about these because I feel the images speak for themselves, no matter what the year it is and where you may live.  It's enough to look and remember what is most important to us and to be thankful that we can hopefully still have the freedom to live our lives in this country.
This article from the Saturday Evening Post does a good job explaining the background of the creation of these pieces.

Norman Rockwell The Four Freedoms

May you have a blessed and loving Thanksgiving with your friends and family.

Krys

The Pencil and I

Brandywine River, Chadds Ford, PA Pencil and Charcoal on Paper
Private Collection

I adore color.  Like most artists I am seduced by the red, blues, yellow, heck even the browns and greys get me stimulated.
But to paint one really needs to know how to draw.  I have not had the benefit of formal art training like many of my colleagues so I always feel that I am playing catchup with those who have BFA and MFA degrees.  But I can draw and I began drawing at around 3 years of age.
I entertained myself quite a bit in boring classes through all 12 years of my formal education by constant sketching and doodling in the margins.  I practiced perspective drawing during particularly dull classes of algebra.
I passed all my classes, was awarded academic scholarships, received a college degree and made deans' lists in everything but never formerly studied art.  But I secretly had my own little art education program going on those margins of notes from mind-numbingly boring classes.
To this day I am in awe of what happens when you take a stick with pencil lead in it and a piece of paper, be it a professional grade drawing pad, the back of an envelope or a cocktail napkin.  That, my friend, is the magic of drawing.
For images of my artwork, painting and maybe a drawing or two, visit my website:
Krys Pettit Original Artwork

November Exhibit Opens SoBo Gallery, Winter Garden

"Iris Dance"
Krys Pettit
Original Watercolor & Gold Metallic Acrylic on Yupo Paper

My watercolor painting, "Iris Dance" will be on exhibit at the Winter Garden Art Association SoBo Gallery in Historic Winter Garden, Florida beginning Thursday, November 3rd through December 31, 2016.
Come join me if you are in the area this Thursday, November 3rd, from 5:30 - 8 p.m. for the opening reception of "The Gift of Art."
The majority of the artwork is comfortably priced under $200.  This is a great opportunity to visit the gallery and purchase hand crafted, original and excellent artwork as gifts.This event is free and open to all. The exhibition runs the entire months of November & December, 2016.
Here are the particulars and address information-- and I hope you will be able to come to the reception and visit this unique and exceptional Central Florida gallery:

Winter Garden Art Association
SOBO Gallery 
127 South Boyd, Winter Garden, Florida 34787
(407) 347-7996
SoBo Gallery "The Gift of Art"

You'll find other samples of my art work on my website:
http://www.kryspettit.com/

I'm Exhibiting the Art League of Daytona through December 3, 2016

"Shadowed Memories" watercolor on paper

A few weeks ago I submitted my work to a wonderful exhibit here on our Florida coast and I awaited Hurricane Matthew. Matthew was not kind and the exhibit did not open as scheduled.  But now everything is back on track!
My watercolor paintings, "Shadowed Memories" and "Treacherous Landing" are exhibiting at the Art League of Daytona in the Members Showcase exhibit. This exhibit will be on display until December 3, 2016. 
If you are in the Daytona Beach area please stop by and view my work along with the other immensely talented members of the Art League. And here's hoping we don't have to worry about a hurricane again for a very, very long time.
Art League of Daytona

"Treacherous Landing" watercolor on paper