A "New" Inness in Dallas!

Stream in the Mountains

George Inness

Exciting news for Inness lovers!  The Dallas Museum of Art has recently"discovered" a work in their collection by American landscape master George Inness.  This painting, which has been in the museum's collection for many years and thought to be by Hudson River School master Asher B. Durand, has now been reattributed to George Inness based on research conducted by the Museum's American art curator, Sue Canterbury. 

The painting is now back on display with its updated attribution. Canterbury found a pen and ink drawing by Inness which closely resembles the composition of the painting. This painting is thought to date from around 1850, making it an early Inness and one that shows the influence of the Hudson River School and Durand. However, to my eye, it has those essential Inness qualities- mood (that dramatic foreground shadow!) , atmospheric effects- and a more painterly style than Durand. Here's an article about the "discovery".

Another Word For Feeling

Evening Pines #2
9 x 8 oil on linen
Available at Deborah Paris Fine Art

I frequently tramped eight or ten miles to keep
an appointment with a beech-tree, or a yellow birch,
or an old acquaintance among the pines. ~Henry David Thoreau

This week has been a bit chaotic- house guests, a painting deadline for a show and other personal business to attend to. But, I didn't want too much time to pass before acknowledging all the interesting comments to my last post. I think many artists can identify with that feeling that a shift in the work is underway. Another point that was mentioned several times is the role of emotion in painting. I used to think that painting was mostly an intellectual exercise, in pursuit of an aesthetic concept. Now, I understand that it could not have held my interest and captivated my imagination so powerfully, if that was all it meant to me. George Inness, the great late 19th century American landscape painter, believed that the power of painting is in its appeal to the emotions. Edgar Payne, an early 20th century landscape master said "knowledge precedes execution." I think they were both right. Just as the poet selects a perfect word, phrase or form to reveal meaning, everything we can learn or understand about our craft, our materials, and our subject is brought to bear to convey our passion for the things we choose to paint and for painting itself. As artists, we need both our reason and our heart-I know I do.

"Painting is but another word for feeling." John Constable