May 24, 2022
Often I’ll paint from a pastel sketch that I’ve made on location. This painting was done from memory, a different approach but not unusual for me.
The scene is a recollection of a fall visit to an old friend’s orchard on the east shore of Flathead Lake. There are fruit trees galore along the lake. An abundance of apples, apricots, plums, and cherries fill the roadside stands and local grocery stores every fall here in Northwest Montana.
Marshall
May 17, 2022
Long ago when my partner in crime Terry Nelson and I shared a painting studio, we would toss pithy aphorisms back and forth as we worked on paintings. At least WE thought the aphorisms were pithy!
Some, like, “think it, do it,” became mantras that spurred continued frantic activity. Others, like, “less is more,” spurred, well, nothing. We knew knowing when to quit was critical. And we eventually got to be pretty good about taking our own advice!
My original intention for “July Sky, North Valley” was to paint a grove of aspen in front of this iconic barn that sits a few miles north of my studio in Kalispell. But now I like it just as it is. Less is more? What do you think?
Marshall
May 10, 2022
There’s one thing I can count on when I spend time in Santa Fe. I think it’s partly the vibrant art culture, and partly the searing quality of the light that, without fail, bring me new ideas. On my most recent sojourn to The City Different I detoured in an unfamiliar direction as far as color goes. I moved from blue to green to turquoise to violet, and never had the urge to add the jangly, tension creating disharmonious colors that are so characteristic of my compositions.
This might be the most harmonious painting I’ve ever done. I can see nothing to add, or subtract for that matter. It must be something in the air!
“We have got it get it together,
We have got to get it together, now.”
Thunderclap Newman
Marshall
May 3, 2022
I’m looking forward to the 2022 Canyon Road Spring Art Festival this Saturday May 7th. I’ll be out in the New Mexico sunshine at Ventana Fine Art painting from 11-3. It’s an annual rite of the season when dozens of artists set up their easels outside galleries on Canyon Road and thousands of art lovers stroll the road and make it a party!
Stop by and say hello. I’ll be the guy in front of a brightly colored landscape painting with brush in hand and a big smile on my face!
Marshall
April 26, 2022
I’m in the studio with pastel in hand because today’s the day to send thank you gifts to all my collectors who contributed to my daughter Sarsten’s Go Fund Me campaign.
I’m happy to report that, with help from many of you, she met her goal, the music video is in production, and will be going online (and going viral if I have anything to say about it) mid June.
Check back, we’ll be posting the link to the video “Poison The Well” by her band, Surprise Baby.
Marshall
April 20, 2022
It was a coloristic decision. Not one influenced by song lyrics. Honest! But there is something iconic about purple mountains isn’t there? And I feel that, given the fact I hold in my possession a valid and recently renewed artistic license, I can paint those mountains any darn color I choose. Even purple!
And it is a beautifully hopeful song lyric. And we can never have too much hope.
“Oh, beautiful, for spacious skies”
Lyrics by Katherine Lee Bates
Let’s keep in touch,
Marshall
April 5, 2022
A couple weeks ago I talked about having been recently influenced by the work of Piet Mondrian. And I mentioned that I thought it was possible that the elements that had a little similarity to his work might become veiled as I finished my painting. That, I believe, was an understatement. I think obliterated would better describe what occurred!
With some effort you can still see the highly graphic underpainting that I started with. But, as is often the case when I have a brush in hand and no one to stop me, I took this piece in an entirely different direction. Or maybe this piece took me in an entirely different direction. Regardless, it doesn’t look much like a Mondrian anymore, does it?
I like it!
Marshall
March 29, 2022
Spring is in the air in Northwest Montana! We’ve switched to yellow wax on our skis and are enjoying velvety soft snow on Big Mountain.
A few thousand feet lower in elevation the course is open and the greens are greening up at Buffalo Hill Golf Club. It’s still a bit chilly in the morning on the links, and it’s getting a bit too warm in the afternoon on the ski runs.
So that can mean only one thing. It is officially “Ski in the morning, Golf in the afternoon season!”
Come join in the fun!
Marshall
March 22, 2022
Lately I’ve been looking at the work of Dutch abstract painter Piet Mondrian, one of the pioneers of 20th century abstract art. Take a look at his paintings and it will be easy to see his influence on this, the beginnings of my newest work. If this painting goes where I think it’s going, the Mondrianesque references will become quite veiled and less obvious when the painting is finished. We’ll see what happens. I’ll post a picture of the completed work.
Here’s a quote from Mondrian that rings true for me.
“I believe it is possible that, through horizontal and vertical lines constructed with awareness, but not with calculation, led by high intuition, and brought to harmony and rhythm, these basic forms of beauty, supplemented if necessary by other direct lines or curves, can become a work of art, as strong as it is true.”
Marshall Noice
March 15, 2022
It’s not usual for my horizon to slide toward the bottom of a painting. But, from time to time, I’m inspired by how the SKY looks! Case in point, this view looking west from Eldorado, New Mexico. Not to say we don’t have gorgeous skies here in old Montana. But this particular sky stuck in my memory, and it’s been niggling (is that a word?) away at me ever since. More often than not the horizon floats up toward the very top of my painting. But here’s an example of an atypical approach to my usually “high in the frame” horizon line.
I fear this is becoming somewhat esoteric, isn’t it. Regardless, it’s a dang fine looking sky, don’t you think?
PS: If this painting strikes your fancy it just arrived at Lustre Gallery in Telluride.
Marshall
