Artist Spotlite – Mary Lou Molinaro

Jayne Cummins on Mon, 15th Sep 2008 7:59 pm 



I don’t normally like winter scenes but I do this one. I can almost feel the branches swaying in the wind, you have just the right amount of contrast, and love the way the weak sunlight casts shadows over the pathway. Well done.
Jayne

Valerie Sasaki on Mon, 15th Sep 2008 9:27 pm 



I don’t know where in California you live, but your painting looks very familiar to me. You captured the light beautifully. and the season. Great job!

Pat on Mon, 15th Sep 2008 9:42 pm 



Lovely. Great colors and good shadows.

Ingrid on Mon, 15th Sep 2008 11:56 pm 



Hi Mary Lou,

This painting has a sense of MYSTERY about it and you have used the complementary colors of orange and blue very nicely!

As I squint down at your painting, it seems a bit weighted by the dark values on the right side. Maybe by adding a few more darks farther along back into the painting to incorporate both sides with this dark value would make the painting seem more connected. Or you could have more “breathing space” within those dense darks, by lightening some areas and create more depth within these shapes, or a little of both. Maybe also putting in a few lost and soft edges within this dark area would create more interest.

The circle shape that the trees and the sky make in the upper left corner of your painting is a bit distracting. This is because this shape is (sort of) a circle and when you squint down you see this shape, drawing you away from the nice area you painted with those complementary colors. By extending some of those trees in the lower area up and by extending some of trees that curve towards the left over into this negative shape of a circle, this shape will not be so noticeable. Remember that nature doesn’t always make PERFECT PAINTINGS. This is where we must use our “ARTISTIC LICENSE”!

The last item on which I would like to comment is the shadows. Usually shadows are darkest and sharpest near the source and then gradually fade as they travel away from the source. Some of your shadows are very dark as they are farther from the source of the trunks, and some are very soft and light close to the source (as in the second clump of trees). This then makes those shadows come up off the pavement and is confusing to the viewers’ eye. Also, maybe not have the value of the curb shadow so dark. It seems to compete with those nicely painted trees.

OOOOHHHH, there is so much to think about when painting, but one only gets better with practice, practice, practice! I really like your use of light in this painting and the feeling it conveys. Thank you so much for sharing with us! Keep painting!

Ingrid

Shyam Wadwankar on Tue, 16th Sep 2008 3:55 am 



Hi Mary,
Nice composition.
Frankly, I understood more about painting
by reading Ingrid’s comments.
Thanks to both of you.
Shyam

Bernie Rosage Jr. on Tue, 16th Sep 2008 11:38 am 



Bravo… perfect example showing how shadows play such an important part of the comp.

Bernie

Soroya on Tue, 16th Sep 2008 12:48 pm 



The one thing that I really have enjoyed about your painting is the movement of the crepe myrtles. It brings me back fondly to my house in NC where I had them growing in my back garden. All the technical advise that Ingrid gave was good but I love to enjoy art just for the sake of it and I really don’t worry too much about the technical side. I think you did a wonderful job.

Nicole Castro on Tue, 16th Sep 2008 5:17 pm 



This is lovely! I appreciate the many interesting shapes you’ve made with the trunks of the myrtles and their corresponding shadows. I find myself attracted to these kinds of shapes in nature and enjoyed looking at your work very much. Thank you!

James on Wed, 17th Sep 2008 12:28 am 



I like the colors and the depth, oh! and the shadows too. This reminds me of a painting I did of a street I lived on. It is on my website if you are at all interested. I am not promoting the site understand. Only the idea that there was a street that was covered by trees and I loved to observe the way the shadows played on the cement and how the colors changed as the day wore on.

Amanda on Wed, 17th Sep 2008 8:01 am 



Nature stripped bare ,which can if not captured correctly look a bit bleak. Not so in this painting. The sensual curves of the branches and their reflections make you want to walk this path………….lovely!

Ralph Che on Wed, 17th Sep 2008 4:22 pm 



Good job Mary,
I like the peace in this area though I can not admire the leaves of trees in focus. Good lighting.

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