Mark Keathley
Country Blessings
Infinity Fine Art started publishing
the art of Mark Keathley in September of 2007. His first release,
Evening Prayers has been one of our best
selling images ever. October's release, Mountain Music,
has also met with collector approval. Now watch as Mark begins the
soon to be published
Mountain cabin. We invite our collectors to watch with us as this image
takes shape. Enjoy the image and also read some of the artist's notes
as it progresses.
Mark will be sending images of the
painting as it goes through various stages of completion. Watch with us
as Mark creates another masterpiece:
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At this stage in
the
picture....when
there are only
lines and
stained canvas,
my mind can fill
in the color and
mass, and I see
in my mind what
the picture will
look like. But
making it turn
into that image
one stroke at a
time is another
thing all
together. I
really don't
know if it will
come together
like my mind
sees it, or
not. But that
is the exciting
part. --Mark |
| I am working first
on some of the detail of the
background. I want to set
this cabin in a valley with
majestic mountains rising in
the background. The setting
will be reminiscent of the
mountains in the eastern
United States like the Smoky
Mountains. As I'm working
on it, I have decided on the
working title of, Country
Blessings. --Mark |
| I've been
working on the cabin area...
trying to make the cabin
look like it is sitting on a
hill that is too steep for a
cabin...typical of Tennessee
cabins... and have had a
good time creating. My
focus now will be keeping it
all soft so that is is one
with the landscape around
it. --Mark |
| I've worked more
on the "cabin" area of the painting to get a lot of the fine
details worked in to the painting. Here is a close up of the area I am working on now. --Mark |
| I had to set the painting aside for a day or two to see what was going on with the colors... something wasn't right, but I went back in and changed the color of light from the sky to the hills.. even the grass tones, and now it seems to be balancing nicely. So I'm off and running again developing areas with interesting flowers, rail fences, even a waterfall and stream above the lake --Mark |
| Wow! this painting
has been quite the
stubborn one. So
often, my paintings
just fall in place
with ease. Country
Blessings, however,
has been one that
has required many
changes. It is
becoming one of my
favorites, because
of its desire to be
worked on, and the
thought processes
that I am having to
go thru to pull it
together. This
painting is
constantly begging,
"paint here, no
here!" When ever I
step back and view
it, again it speaks,
as if it knows where
to go and what is
needed next. Of
coarse, my family
chimes in too,
saying, "that's to
busy over there,"
or "now that looks
right." But I am
happy about how it
is developing...
despite the length
of time it is
taking. I am wanting to stay right on the edge of "this is my grandparents home place" and "I'd love to retreat to this spot." I'm trying to balance the natural look of a farm with all of its "stuff" and the park like setting we would like to believe is where we live, with the peaceful reminders that the simple life of the country is often where the deepest "blessings" are found. --Mark |
| After many cooks in
the kitchen, the
recipe is a
success. It was a
difficult decision,
because I like the
barn so much (one of
my favorite areas)
that I didn't not
want to change it,
but a careful eye
from a man who has
an eye for art and
others around me --
all suggesting that
the barn was too
much the center of
interest. Someone
even suggested that
I take the barn out
altogether. I was
NOT wanting to lose
my barn but I
agreed, it needed a
change. It had a
red - "look at me"
painted roof, it
stood in the middle
of the road like a
great wall,
blocking ones
"adventures" if
taken to explore
down by the
lake. It was a
huge no no in art,
because it was dead
center on the
canvas, something I
had totally missed
until pointed out.
So we pulled all the
nails, and let it
fall... then rebuilt
it four inches to
the right.
Bravo --- to those
who saw this before
it was immortalized
in paint and print! --Mark |
| Finally finished!! I have added some fun details. I hope you
will be able to see them in this size image. There is a Golden Lab
on the porch as well as a rocking chair. A dinner bell hangs so
that all can be invited in from their chores to enjoy the evening meal.
Cows graze in the distant meadow and roosters are eating down next to
the old split rail fence. --Mark |
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