[NOTE: Artwork for this article has not yet been uploaded.]
[Last Light on Haystack, by Peter Huntoon]
On November 7, 2013, Peter Huntoon wrote:
It gets dark early now.
Wild animals are on the move.
So are we, as we walk just a little bit faster to the car
Or to find the sunny spot to stand in.
Towering above Pawlet, Haystack Mountain basks in the waning warmth of an early November sunset.
Recently I noticed something interesting — all the paintings and “in-process” images could give the casual observer the impression that when it comes to painting, I actually know what I’m doing.
The truth is that, at least much of the time, I don’t.
And that’s both exhilarating and liberating.
For those of you who paint, or are thinking about starting, let me assure you that each and every painting I do is a giant leap of faith into the unknown.
Starting is the secret. Laugh in the face of fear. Risk it all. Have fun.
Just add love and your best work is the inevitable result.
Peter Huntoon, a native Vermonter, has been painting professionally since 1994. He lives in Middletown Springs.
Educated in Vermont and Colorado, Huntoon received his BA in Art from Castleton State College. He has studied with contemporary masters Frank Webb, Zoltan Szabo, Cheng Kee Chee, Stephen Quiller, and Robert Burridge, among others.
For over 20 years Peter held the position of Color Group Manager for Sto Corp, the world leader in architectural coatings. He remains a color consultant to the industry. Peter is also an adjunct professor of art at Castleton State College and is a founding member of the Vermont Watercolor Society.
After a year of planning, Peter chose to follow his heart, and laugh in the face of fear — to pursue his lifelong passion as a full-time artist. Thus, on March 18, 2013, A Day in Vermont original was born.
A Day in Vermont is the name of a free and friendly email subscription that features Peter’s work. A new painting by Peter is sent out twice a week, on Monday and Thursday mornings.
Each painting post includes a community forum, where he shares a little bit about the art, subject, or process. He welcomes comments, questions and hearing what you’d like him to paint. The new painting is available to subscribers via an online auction. One lucky subscriber wins a free print each month.
These authentic original paintings, in watercolor and oil, celebrate life in Vermont and capture the spirit of the Green Mountains. “Community spirit and authenticity motivate my work. I am ceaselessly inspired by Vermont’s integrity, diversity, and capricious nature. Capturing her subtle and sensational beauty in rich juicy paint is like roping the wind, brilliantly impossible. Her mysterious moods and change of seasons lead me on! I am an artist in love with Vermont. Sharing that love with you is my life’s work,” Peter proclaims.
Peter’s wife, Mareva Millarc is an abstract artist, who has been painting professionally since 2007. She displays her work at the Vermont Institute of Contemporary Art (VICA), in Chester, Vermont.
Peter’s work is represented in public and private collections around the world.
“A Day in Vermont is like rolling with the current season — an artistic journal.” Peter continues, “I hope to have 20 good years of painting, exploring VT and sharing the journal with anyone interested. I will work ‘til I can’t hold a brush!”
“Color is my day-long obsession, joy and torment” – Monet
Check out his website, subscribe to A Day in Vermont, and browse the paintings to see if he has painted something you very well might recognize: www.peterhuntoon.com.
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