Karen Foster- Wells, the artist, Early Summer

Karen Foster-Wells, the artist.

Early Summer

Early Summer- acrylic on masonite board, 10" x 16", $400. California Mid State Fair Judges Award, 1999 & 2nd place Professional Oil/Acrylic Division.

I was keeping my old horse company in the pasture, as he had been ill. I took my paints along to keep myself contented. It was a fresh June day and I was very happy that Gino was getting well. This is not the kind of painting I would have ever thought would get an award. The only reason I have ever put paintings in the fair is to share what I feel is real and worth sharing with a large public.

I have been surprised many times to be given an award for a painting that was done so unself-consciously. That is why I like Plein Air sketches so much - they seem to just catch some fleeting spirit of the moment. When I discovered the sketch a month or so after I had done it, the Early Summer feeling just jumped out at me. By July the grass had turned gold, and the pond was drying up. Everything was different. I had completely forgotten that I had even done the sketch. It was such a wild and free little thing, it got framed and went to the fair.

Karen Foster-Wells, the artist.

Early Summer

Early Summer- acrylic on masonite board, 10" x 16", $400. California Mid State Fair Judges Award, 1999 & 2nd place Professional Oil/Acrylic Division.

I was keeping my old horse company in the pasture, as he had been ill. I took my paints along to keep myself contented. It was a fresh June day and I was very happy that Gino was getting well. This is not the kind of painting I would have ever thought would get an award. The only reason I have ever put paintings in the fair is to share what I feel is real and worth sharing with a large public.

I have been surprised many times to be given an award for a painting that was done so unself-consciously. That is why I like Plein Air sketches so much - they seem to just catch some fleeting spirit of the moment. When I discovered the sketch a month or so after I had done it, the Early Summer feeling just jumped out at me. By July the grass had turned gold, and the pond was drying up. Everything was different. I had completely forgotten that I had even done the sketch. It was such a wild and free little thing, it got framed and went to the fair.

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© copyright Karen Foster-Wells 2001-2002