Sharing Solitude and Serenity | Charlie Spratt
On a warm afternoon, in late October, I was out scouting for painting ideas. As usual, I had my ancient paint box, easel and several canvases in the back of my van. Driving along back country roads, I noted that many of the colourful leaves were down and the countryside air had a feeling of winter closing in. I stopped by a creek where I had painted on location before. I got out of my van and while standing there a great blue heron rose silently on giant wings and vanished, out of sight, down the creek.
The silence was palpable and, as I looked around, I began noticing evidence of beaver activity along both shore lines. I sensed that I was not alone. The signs of wildlife activity made me think about nature carrying on, oblivious to a world filling up with roads and houses. I needed to paint the creek in fall colours with signs of fallen trees and limbs and still water.
Weeks later I took out my plein air 11x14 sketch that faithfully recorded the fall colours in the tree foliage, grasses, creek and water. Weeks later, I put up a 24x30 blank white canvas. Slowly, referring to my recollections of that day and colours recorded by direct observation, I worked to relive the experience of that fall day in October.
If the painting speaks to you, I consider it a success.
The joy of painting. Charlie Spratt
