Jane Girardot Artist Statement
Artist's Statement
My paintings are
expressions of my love and respect for the ocean and nature. When
painting, usually I am trying to re-live the experience of how I felt
when I was there, enjoying the warmth of the sun and the smell of the
ocean air. I imagine that I am either walking down that beach or looking down at a
waterfall and enjoying the nature all around me. My original inspiration
for many of my coastal paintings is from the dream of looking through a window and
seeing my favorite places on the other side.
How I Make My Paintings
In order to determine the scene or subject of my painting, I review hundreds of photos, either from my travels or places I find very
inspirational. My photography is very much like painting, using light and film as paint on canvas. I
may digitally modify my photos to enhance the look of the original landscape or remove unsightly objects. I will spend many hours studying
the shape, colors and textures of a given rock formation, plant or ocean scene to insure that my painting reflects the realism I am looking to capture.
I'll then sketch from my photographs and draw a fairly detailed version of what I see. After studying the
finished drawing on canvas, I darken in the depth of the rocks or trees
and lighten where the water is translucent. I paint from my photographs with acrylics, although I do enjoy watercolor
and oils too. It depends what type of painting and the depth of color I need.
I begin painting the water first then the rocks, beach and finally plants (lights to dark). I usually work on the detail the longest, spending as many hours
as it takes to capture the scene accurately. Once the painting is finished, I will hang it on the wall and just let it 'sink in' for a few
days. I usually will find something to adjust before I am fully satisfied.