The Art of Beauty - Part I

Perspectives from The Artist's Road

Winter Jewelry Oil Ann Trusty

All that is sweet, delightful, and amiable in this world, in the serenity of the air, the fineness of seasons, the joy of light, the melody of sounds, the beauty of colors, the fragrancy of smells, the splendor of precious stones, is nothing else but Heaven breaking through the veil of this world, manifesting itself in such a degree and darting forth in such variety so much of its own nature.
- William Law

Although the British theologian never intended it, he has artfully summed-up the plein air painter’s ‘raison d’etre’ better than anyone else. Painting might be what we call our activity, but what we are really searching for is that manifestation of heaven on earth - Beauty. It is everywhere, all around us, all the time, but it can be difficult to see through the fog of reason and the thousands of things that occupy our conscious minds in order to…