Light of Thanksgiving

Wind-chimes dance. The last leaves cartwheel by. There is a distinctive light in November, rays squeezed through blustery clouds, all tinged with grey caveat of tempest. It is the light I am most grateful for, and the perception of the beneficence from which it emanates.

Traditions honoring the light evolved through generations, from solstice and candles to shining star in the east, to savior and twinkling lights at Christmas. Stories evolve, conflicts rise, and wars ensue. But we are still creatures dominated by the light.

As an artist, I am Light’s faithful follower. Light reveals color, creates endless patterns, and caresses forms. It creates symphonies across the skies and urges life to move forward. Light bestows tirelessly and asks nothing in return.


Peaceful Harbor by Melody Phaneuf, 16 x 20 oil

Peaceful Harbor honors a moment in the vast repertoire of light. An early morning walk in Gloucester unveils the harbor’s waking.

Melody Phaneuf’s paintings of Gloucester can be seen at The Guild of Boston Artists, 162 Newbury St, Boston. Studio visits are welcome at her Fenway studio.

Tondo~Expression of Abundance and Harmony

Round. Golden. Textural. Resonant. These qualities combined in Tondo to emanate a sense of harmony and abundance. Sweeping arcs dominate the movement upward; each line and shape plays its part in the perpetual volley of motion. Variations of golden color provide warmth and a hint of harvest time.

The objects chosen relate to hearth and home. This painting was designed to nourish many levels: visual, emotional, spiritual. Tondo is tribute to well-being and gratitude.

Melody Phaneuf is a Boston artist working at historic Fenway Studios. Her paintings can be viewed at The Guild of Boston Artists, 162 Newbury St.

Tondo, 20 x 16 oil, private collection

Tondo is available in Open Edition Prints and Note Cards at MelodyTheArtist.com/shop

A perfect Hostess gift.

Threshold

Magical Brittany. The forests of Haute Bretagne are mysterious doors to a rhapsodic world of emotion. For the artist seeking evidence of the Divine in nature, it is here that brushes in hand, one can embrace the Creator.

The misty morning light penetrates; erases dark pillars and interweaves a carpet of shadowed geometry. The boundary between woodland and meadow evaporates in the lemony mist and resonates of a half-remembered Paradise.

I love these thresholds. Evocative of entering, leaving and passage, Brittany Forest is a blissful transition to the light.

Brittany Forest by Melody Phaneuf, Boston
20 x 16 Oil Painting

Yes We Can~Con Spirito

With the election behind us there appears a new sense of hope. Our president elect, Barack Obama, brings with him an inspiration that is contagious. There is no doubt that we will have to do our part but there is a unity of purpose that I believe will transcend our difficulties.

A similar sentiment of unity is expressed in Con Spirito, a tribute to the mysterious force that animates us and calls us to create order from chaos, beauty from the mundane. Inspiration, symbolized by the illuminated candle, is the cause of both the arrangement of notes in the music and placement of objects in the visual design. Instruments radiate out from the light, reflecting it. Patterning of light and dark “spots” and chosen angles create a rhythm and give a sense of animation to the whole. There was an intention here, a unity of purpose, which answered the myriad of decisions for this painting.

So, I’m with you, Mr. Obama. If we can organize a design, create music from the noise that surrounds us, we should be able to develop a society based on the good of the whole rather than a collection of its parts. And with Spirit, yes, we can.

Con Spirito by Melody Phaneuf
Oil Painting, 34 x 36

Con Spirito is on view at The Guild of Boston Artists, 162 Newbury St, Boston during the month of November.

Open Edition Prints, Tiles and Note Cards make wonderful gifts and are available at MelodyTheArtist.com/shop