Like many others, my cell phone is my constant companion on a walk, a hike, a ski trip, or a bike ride. Like many others, I pause to snap a picture of all things amazing or novel en route. And like many others, I share that post on Facebook or Instagram.
The best thing about this habit is hitting the pause button. For a moment, we stop. We breathe in the beauty of the moment, or perhaps the inspiration that comes from it. A cell pic can be fun or a reminder of places to go or people to see. However, a realistic replication of life in not enough to capture a feeling. To be fair, more skilled photographers are able to use light and composition to evoke feeling but it seems to be the exception rather than the rule.
Evoking a feeling is something reserved for the most talented of artists.
They do not just provide a factual depiction of something but evoke the whole range of feelings associated with the subject. I recently purchased a Christian Bergeron painting. This Quebec artist is well known for his traditional Quebec landscapes, marine paintings, and most recently his more contemporary, abstract works. I chose one of his classic Quebec landscapes because it reflect him as an artist born and raised in Quebec. His many experiences out in nature have allowed him, along with his acrylics, palette knife and creativity, to evoke many of the feelings I have from time spent in Quebec. The bold strokes of brilliant red, oranges, golds, and greens of deciduous forests, contrasted with the rise of bright blue mountains, and turquoise skies, and iconic French Canadian white building, take your breath away.
In Vancouver, we are surrounded by nature, even if we live in the city centre. The pause to appreciate a moment in nature is important for our mental health. For those of you so inclined, I encourage you to pick up your tools to create the art inspired by the nature around you. Many of Christian Bergeron’s marine pictures are inspired by trips to to Vancouver beaches and Steveston in Richmond. You can feel the wind in the sails and recognize the docked boats. Engaging in art is a process that causes you to pause longer to truly appreciate the subject, much like writing. It may evoke the feelings of a passing a breeze. A moment of complete contentment. The feeling of falling in love. A sense of home. That’s what nature inspired can do.
A Wild About Vancouver Wednesday Post.
Note: A selection of Christian Bergeron’s Art is available for purchase at Bellatudo Beauty Salon in Richmond, B.C. by his favourite Vancouver distributor and daughter – Nancy Bergeron.
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