Contact Lynn Gertenbach

I strive for excellence in every canvas I create. First, to meet the integrity of my own vision and then to share it with others. Artists owe it to the world of art to produce something with thought and honesty behind it. If my efforts enlighten and open the eyes of viewers to a magic moment of light, a landscape to preserve, or a human emotion, then I feel the work is valid. Painting in open air stimulates all the senses. For me, it is a spiritual experience to remain silent while listening to nesting quail or to see a deer that has yet to pick up my scent. As I set up my easel I could easily be seduced by the plethora of sensual experiences, so I begin by sketching compositions based on the total impact. Once I've completed several of them, I decide which best conveys the light patterns, moods and colors that enchanted me. When I finish, I take the painting back to the studio, where I may choose to enhance or eliminate areas in order to heighten my message or the drama of the painting. A good painting should transmit much more than a photograph, since the artist's personal hands-on creation reveals both skill and divine inspiration. The challenge of leaving something of worth behind keeps me excited about each new painting.