It's that time of year, late July, when we find ourselves commenting on how the summer is going by so quickly. We look forward to the summer months, anticipate, talk about and plan for summer - and the season itself is so fleeting. The long days, warm weather and clear skies come together to create a more carefree and easier few months. Regardless of what you enjoy for leisure, there is more time to indulge during the short summer months. There is an easy feeling amid the long days, crisper summer light, which make the colors cleaner and brighter. I love to see how artists reflect the beautiful blues and and other sun drenched colors, how the look and feel of the season infuses their artworks, and in turn, how the art enhances a room and brings the good feeling of summer home.
Recently I spent a few hours watching the sky change from afternoon, to dusk to evening as I drove from Montauk, through the Hamptons and west. I was focused on how the colors changed, the cloud formations moved, and was surprised that the sunset was so beautiful, even along the otherwise uneventful Long Island Expressway.
This very basic daily rhythm has always been a compelling subject for artists, the elusive attempt to capture on canvas or in print the sometimes incredible colors of nature. The inspiration of the sky is endless.
An artist I work with, John Duckworth, continually captures the changing sky in and around his home on Johns Island, SC. In his unique Abstract Landscape Collection, he captures the vivid colors and translates this minimal interpretation to canvas, The artworks feel “painterly”, you have to look hard to know if it's a painting or a photograph. Above is a complex sunset and below is sea and sky, reduced to its essence. This quiet photo was selected by our clients for a recent project in their Miami apt. The soft blue in this seascape is a reflection of their stunning ocean view, it is the single color in an otherwise neutral palette.When I meet with clients we talk about what they love, where they go and what they do, frequent responses revolve around summer, vacation choices and favorite places, this leads to discussions of beach, outdoors, ocean and sky, with thoughts and reminders of friends, family and special times. It’s wonderful when an artwork can reflect and relate to you, your interests and bring you to a “special” place in your home.
In the room below, a minimal and large-scale seascape is a simple compliment to the traditional decor Summer is by definition the season with the longest days and the most daylight. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year, (it was June 21st, this year) and is technically midsummer (in the northern hemisphere). The days then get progressively shorter. The long daylight adds to the beauty of the colors, the blues of the sky and ocean. Abstract painters create their individual expression of these moments in time, as opposed to a photographer who captures the image in a more precise way. New Day, this recent painting by color-loving artist Kerri Rosenthal, at Nest Inspired Home, reflects her interpretation of the lightness and variety of summer color.Softer colors, in general, are more serene and peaceful - they have a spiritual quality. Artworks with a mellow blue are very easy to live with. I love the use of Kerri Rosenthal's gentle abstract landscape in this elegant living room designed by CT based Susan Glick Interiors. (photographed by Jane Beiles). The painting is the focal point, and compliments the quiet refined composition of the room.Photographer Kit Kittle combines the natural light of his seascapes with the reflected light in the transient bubbles he creates. The added color in the bubble adds another layer that is unexpected and very beautiful.We installed Kittle's Before the Split, (Double Bubble) in a client's Westchester family room. They immediately loved the serene image and wanted it in their warm and comfortable room.Color theorist Kate Smith, of Sensational Color speaks about how the color blue effects us physically, from the calming benefits of soft blue to the energizing stronger cobalt or electric blue. The range in hues within the color reflects the different light as well as activities of summer. Consider how you can bring this home in the artwork you select, to reflect your summer. Stronger blues are more of a statement, they exude a greater energy into a room. The texture and color in this pair of Andrea Bonfils's dynamic encaustic wax paintings, Beyond Deep, evokes the movement and energy of the ocean.The color in this minimalist painting grounds the Hamptons living room by Carol Egan Interiors. The room is completed with the contrast of a more traditional painting and more blue accents. Here are two examples of how minimalist interior designer Jennifer Post uses a beautiful sea blue as an accent in waterfront homes to compliment the light.The two artworks in this blue and white room by designer Victoria Hagan add depth to the deceptively simple space. Take a look at RE's Pinterest boards to see these artworks, as well as the rooms on Art in Living Spaces.
There are different ways that artists are influenced by the natural colors of the season, from the cleaner tones of a bright sunny day to the greyed shades that come with summer clouds and a passing storm. We have several clients who recently purchased this limited edition image, Sound Portrait 1, by Stefan Ratke. We installed it in a master bedroom and in a living room - the photo, mounted in acrylic, is all about calm and serenity. Artworks that capture the elusive summer energy are a great way to live all year with a reminder of the beauty of the season. Photographer Christine Wexler named this photo, Perfection. To Christine that is how she feels about her time on the beaches of Montauk.Now is the moment to find your perfect days and enjoy them, they’re getting shorter…soak up all thats good about summer!
