Along Meeting Street ~ Colorful Impressions!
There are many locations in downtown Charleston that I return to when seeking inspiration for my art. One of those locations is a stretch along Meeting Street. When the light is right my attention is diverted in many directions, always wanting to take it all in.
Streaks of light cross the street and bounce off the sides of colorful homes, caused by the canopy of tree tops that cover the street. Strong shadows play tricks on the eyes changing bold colors to neutralized or cooler colors.
My painting entitled 43 Meeting Street was about recording an historic home accurately. When I went back to 43 Meeting Street and viewed it from another angle I saw everything differently. It wasn’t all about the yellow house this time.
It was as if I was looking into an Impressionist painting; splashes of red and white flowers popping out of greenery, lavender shadows, Cerulean blue highlights reflecting off objects, and an overall sense of light!
So it was with all of that in mind, I set out to paint Along Meeting Street in the spirit of a plein air painter, pretending I was working on location with my French easel. My mission was to keep it painterly. Don’t be afraid of color. Let the light shine through. Have fun with it.
Along Meeting Street by William R. Beebe, 12 x 12, Oil on board, $2200
When I found myself putting more detail in than necessary I would reverse it and deconstruct it. I used brushes without fine tips to keep from producing sharp edges. One of my favorite things about painting is “letting the paint surprise you”.
It doesn’t happen all that often when painting in a realistic style. It can, but I find it happens much more often when I’m trying to create an impression.
I hope you like Along Meeting Street. The yellow house is one of Charleston’s many historic single houses with the unique side porch. This stretch of Meeting Street is one I always enjoy walking on a nice sunny day. Charleston is a great walking city with scenes like this throughout.
Thank you for reading my journal and for your interest in my art! I will be starting several other Charleston scenes soon, working in the same manner, so please check back soon to see what’s on the easel!
“One of the joys of being an artist is having the freedom to follow my passion...”
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Drawing by William R. Beebe