Painting Our Beautiful World Project: Georgia

'Georgia on my Mind'                 10x8               pastel           ©Karen Margulis
available $165

Painting number two finished today. I am excited about my Painting our Beautiful World project. The US map I have is too big for the studio wall but I mounted it to a board  and have it leaning up against some easels. I am planning on putting a small photo of each painting on the map in the corresponding state.

Today I chose to paint my own state of Georgia. I have lived here for 31 years. In the same house. I live in the suburbs of Atlanta and despite the shopping centers and many highways we fortunately still have beautiful landscapes. I often say I live in the land of green. Trees, lawns and shrubs are everywhere. Because the terrain is hilly we don't have many places with a clear view of the sky. Sometimes it feels like I live in a tunnel of green. It really is a good thing that I like green!

 I also live just a short drive from the North Georgia mountains. It is an easy drive to the cool mountains and many streams. They are especially welcome  during the heat of the summer. It is in the eighties here today and I can feel the cool mountain stream calling to me. I can hear the gentle trickle of water and smell the mossy stones. It was refreshing to paint this Georgia mountain stream on this very warm day in my studio.

About this painting: I recycled a piece of Pastelmat paper. It was an older demo of a black and white painting. I brushed some clear gesso with random brushstrokes and the result was a lightly textured surface that hinted at the value structure of my mountain stream.

Reusing an old black and white painting