Artists and the Sea

joaquin-sorolla-estudio-de-mar-1

Joaquín Sorolla, one of my favorite artists, painted this in 1904 and simply called it “Mar.”

Artists turn to the sea again and again for inspiration – and it never disappoints. The awesome nature of the sea is spellbinding. It is large and powerful, beautiful and elegant, treacherous and threatening, inviting and sublime. It has the power to harm and sustain. Everyday we depend on it to enrich our lives. All these things have been recorded for us by painters.

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Watching Paint Dry

"Blue Mesa Memory," 24x48, oil on canvas. This is the final painting. It has been in my studio on and off the easel for a long time. It is finally ready to sing it's song.

Sometimes I watch paint dry while waiting to put a final varnish, hooks, and wire before I give it to you for viewing – in its final state. Sometimes, the paint must dry before I can take the next necessary steps to complete the original vision. Then there are the times that a painting must sit and dry while I decide what the next steps are going to be. I have all that going on this week.

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Litchfield – C-flat Series #1 – Sunrise

I spent a beautiful Saturday afternoon painting the sky. It is very wet now. I will make another pass over it when it has dried. So far so good. I think I can hear the birds waking up and looking for breakfast. A New Horizon - Litchfield - C-flat - Series - Michel McNinch - original coastal landscape paintings

Sunrise at Litchfield Beach is one of the most glorious events I have ever witnessed. I try to see it at least once a year with the Ladies of the Traveling Paints. I have painted it many times – en plein air and in the studio. This week there was progress on my current Litchfield painting (30×40 inches). I have made 5 images so you can view the progress. Thank you very much for your interest in my painting practice.

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Santee State Park Revisited

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, oil, 11x14 Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, a SCDNR public land near Santee State Park and was a lovely way to spend the day. The vast natural beauty in this area is healing to my spirit. To sit in such beauty and paint is the height of my joy. It so effortlessly exists without any input from us humans. ; ) #comeoutandpaint #stormwaterstudios #michelmcninch #coastalliving #naturelovers #landscapelovers #inspiration #artlovers #santee #santeestatepark #beanartist #artlovers #Donnelley WildlifeManagementArea #SCDNR #campinglife

My time at Santee State Park resulted in many paintings over the years. Let me show you some of my paintings from my first visit there. You may have seen some of these. I am hopeful you will enjoy them this time too. : ). Santee State Park is replete with these beautiful places. It seems very holy to me. I don’t really have words to explain, but my spirit seems to connect with these places in a way nothing else does. That is why this is what I paint.

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The Ocean and the Lake

Litchfield Beach, oil, 6x8 This little spot in the world gives spectacular color. I always get inspired to paint there.

What is not to love about the inspiration of the ocean and lake for the landscape painter? Work on my SC State Parks series brought out these paintings that were waiting patiently for their last licks of the brush.  I enjoyed a pleasant day in my studio with the door open and the breeze blowing while I had my last session on these paintings.

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Paintings from SC State Parks

At Santee State Park, there are cabins on the piers. This is the view just as the sun sinks into the water. The smell of the brackish water comes to mind and the squawks of the shorebirds settling in for the night. I wanted to paint the “end of day” drama.

Four paintings in the State Park series were completed this week. Hope you enjoy these new images. Do you have any favorite state parks? These paintings will be part of a social media campaign in the next few weeks. When you see them in your feed, please share them. It would mean so much to me. Many thanks to those of you who already share my work. Thank you for supporting the arts on the individual artist level. We could not do it without your help.

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Getting the Paint to Tell the Story

Getting the paint to tell the story – round two.  The natural beauty of the sun coming up or going down always feels full of majesty.   At sunset the light rakes across the surface of the earth for a few more minutes teasing tomorrow with the most brilliant colors.  It will be back as promised calling you into today soon enough.  Here is a series of paintings of my many trips to Huntington Beach State Park – with an extra one as a hint of things to come with a Santee State Park series.

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Blocking In Landscapes – my new paintings

Oh, how I love to start a new painting. Favorite thing to do. I have a million ideas. How many will I have time for? Only one way to find out. I am blocking in new landscapes this week. I have heard that you like to see the process. It’s not always pretty, but it is always fun! So, here ya go.

My new paintings are just getting started – The images are from time I spent at Huntington Beach State Park.

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Coming to an End

Endings are nothing more than beginnings out of focus. I look forward to every December for lots of reasons. One of the most important things to do in December is take a look back. Then, decide where to go in the year to come. Do you do something similar? I just love to have a fresh new year to think about and plan for.

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Lowcountry Lamentation

Featured Image

My first painting from a recent trip to Savannah is a moody one. The storm had just raged through and a few clouds were lagging behind. The ground was wet, and the fresh water smell on the salt marsh was distinct. The sun was still hiding behind the lingering clouds. “Lowcountry Lamentation, oil on canvas, 16×24, Michel McNinch

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Diptych

Hung together or apart; they are always siblings. Two surfaces, same palette, same landscape, same artist! Fun to do and makes it that much better! Take a closer look.

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