Fall of Warm Light

     If any of you have been following me on Facebook, then you know that it is hunting season in South Texas.  And this time of year combines two of my passions.  Being a hunter, I've always justified the Sporting Life, because I only kill what I eat.  But the line becomes a bit fuzzy on the subject of painting.
 

"Pheasant with Hunting Bag" by Chardin

  
      Chardin, Weenix, Van Aelst, or Oudry never broached the subject beyond technique.  These artists obviously conveyed an intimacy with their subject, and that is what I feel, as well.  The truth is, I have to paint what I know, and what ignites the passion.  I have tried to describe my deep feelings about the subject in the description below the painting.  
 

"The Fall of Warm Light"

This still life was born of the mesquite thorn’s branch.  Unlike, Pam, I find the South Texas brush exhilarating and romantic.  From my childhood, it was a special event to hunt south of San Antonio.  For a wide-eyed Central Texas boy, the brush country meant huge deer, large coveys, and javelinas.  For me, the romance of South Texas was linked to the disregard in which it is held.  The thorny brush takes care of itself and its inhabitants rather effectively.  Ironically, its upside is all it’s downside.  "The Fall of Warm Light" illustrates the natural symbiosis that exists between the land and the animals it cradles. 

Have a good weekend and I'll see you Monday!

All content © Mark Kohler.  "Pheasant and Hunting Bag" painted by Chardin.