Page 36 - May-June 2025 Life In Naples Magazing

an ARTIST S
perception

by Phil Fisher and Natalie Guess

s an artist’s perception, I thought you might be interested center of interest except perhaps the looming cumulus cloud, but I
in the thought process that goes into creating a painting, think the vastness of the Everglades is the story and strength here.
A so this article will include a little something about each The cumulus cloud rising is symbolic of the returning lifeblood to
painting shown here. “Before Sunset”, the pink sand happens when the “Everglades River of Grass”, which is the title of the historical
the light is low, and its glow affects everything so beautifully! book by Marjory Stoneman Douglas who was a huge part in
There are places in the world where the sand is naturally pink, so it establishing the Everglades National Park! This is a must read for
can be strikingly pink in conditions like this! I know to be careful anyone living in Florida!
and balance my values to be effective and feel natural. I didn’t do “The Clay Place” was done during the annual event of Five
my usual rust red underpainting and got right on it. No people and Painters and a Potter while the crowds came and went. My little
no birds, the focus is on the soft sky. The catamaran is a stopping friend was a special surprise! I looked over and saw her staring at my
point and then the eye should go back to the sky! Sometimes traveling watercolor kit, and a small painting I had started, so I put
a painting itself is the whole center of interest! In this case, the a brush in her eager hand and encouraged her to paint, and so she
viewer has the whole beach to themselves, which is often what we did to the delight of her mom and others nearby. Our children are
want when we go to the beach!” the future, and we must always be encouraging and uplifting and
I hadn’t done an Everglades painting for some time and decided loving to them! Thanks for a great event!
to pull up some old references and add my own takes here and Phil Fisher can be found at his easel Guess-Fisher Gallery in
there. I kept it loose and painterly using the foreground to pull the the heart of the Naples Design District.
viewer up and over into the picture! There is no overly dominant

Guess-Fisher Gallery, 985 Central Ave. 239-403-8393 www.PhilFisherFineArt.com www.Guess-FisherGallery.com

36 www.LifeInNaples.net