This month is all about weird weather, but let's face it, there are often two different types of weird when it comes to weather. It's raining cats and dogs weird... you know the type that isn't likely to happen except for in fiction. And weird... as in it occurs, we even have a reason for it to occur, and yet it still isn't understood.
While it would be really interesting to present to you paintings of raining cats and dogs, we will instead focus on the second version of the definition. The Northern Lights - or Aurora Borealis - and The Southern Lights - or Aurora Australis - are two such examples of a weird phenomenon occurring in the sky. While scientists have proved what causes the light shows, I don't think many average people understand it.
So this month we will be discussing an artist who often paints pictures featuring the many looks of the Auroras.
Ashton Howard is a self-taught artist who has exhibited in the United States, Canada, and Japan. He briefly studied art in college, but left soon after when he realized his vision and methods did not fit the school's lessons. Howard travelled the world looking for artistic inspiration which eventually led him to California where he worked as a "struggling artist," supporting himself by teaching people to surf and painting surfboards. Before Howard knew it, his art was featured in more than 25 galleries.
He frequently paints the outdoors and his art is loved by those who also love the outdoors. Howard's style is realism and abstract expressionism. His art is about the subject, but it is also about the feeling that it brings people when you are alone with it in nature.
Howard gives his paintings unique looks by using both water-based acrylic paints and resin and using several techniques to apply the paint to give it a feeling of realistic movement. He will often start by mixing several colors and pouring these onto the canvas, allowing them to naturally flow together. He has called this style "Fluid Realism."
Howard calls his painting and nature experiences his obsession, and one that he loves.
Now that we know a bit about Howard, let us take a look at a few of his works.
The Night Sky's Wonder beautifully mixes the colors, giving the sky a gorgeous feeling of movement, almost as if you are standing there in person looking up into the sky and watching the lights dance across the sky.
Night Trails is one of his few paintings that combines an unnatural manmade road with the natural beauty of nature. Notice in this painting the colors he features in the sky are completely different from the previous image, and yet you still get that same feeling of lights dancing across the sky.
The final image I want to talk about today is Mountain Study. Howard actually has a set of about five similar images, though I think this one might be my favorite. I love the feel of the lights breaking through the clouds and it reminds me of the time I went to Alaska and was able to see the mountain Denali peaking through the clouds on a cloudy day, the sun shining brightly between the gap in the cloud. Of course that shone with a more standard color, but it was still beautiful. This image is marvelous in its use of colors, bringing about a less realistic feel, while at the same time making it feel completely natural.
Well, that is all I have for you this month. Which painting is your favorite?