Having Fun With Acrylic Paint!

I have been very fortunate to have done some recent international travel. Part of my plans included making time to seek out wonderful scenery and cultural subjects with the intent of capturing new areas of inspiration for my paintings.

I did indeed see so many wonderful places, people, and things. Fortunately, I took lots of pictures as well. Maybe there is a special skill that I have not yet mastered but while I can remember those special items, I find it hard to paint just from memory. My preferred style of painting is abstract impressionism which means I can take liberties with a subject, leave out some detail but still capture the essence of the composition. Without some outline or framework a composition can quickly become just pure abstract, which is also fine but that is not intention.

So fortunately for me, I took a lot of pictures and while I'm not a professional photographer, I am able to capture the beauty and details that allow me to augment my memories. Seeing the lighting and shadows of a subject or place as well as the shades of colors brings back that moment where I was able to observe something special.

Is it a gift to paint from memory or is it something else that allows a person to express their feelings with a brush?  In my case, it seems that for me to feel comfortable with my composition based on an experience, having both the photos and the fond memories is the right winning combination.