Tuesday, May 10, 2016

On a Lazy Day in Matfield Green: The Second Finding Faith Project Complete

After the incredible response that our first Finding Faith project received, I was really eager to get to work on the second, and we nearly pulled it off in record time. The video and photo shoot went perfectly.  So perfect in fact, that it seemed the "art gods" were with us once again...a funny saying that Faith and I have started to say whenever things are going very well. But then life happened...not in a bad way, but in a busy way...and the painting came forth like a slug.  I never thought I would get it done and was tempted so many times to just "call it good enough", but the perfectionist in me won't allow such an ending and I HAD to keep going until it was right.  Even though I am not striving to be a realistic painter on this project, it is important to me to capture certain details and moods and emotions in the painting that are present in the short videos that we create as well as the photographs.  For those of you that paint, you KNOW this does not usually come easily.  We have to work for it.

A little bit about our setting...it was shot in a very teeny tiny town called Matfield Green, which is a little over an hour away from Wichita.  This little place is nestled in the beautiful Flint Hills of Kansas and its population is 50.  That's right...50.  I did not forget any zeros!  It would be easy to miss it, except for the hilarious signs they have along Highway 177 reading "Matifield Green Next 3 Exits".   But they are not exits, they are just streets.  The 50 people in Matfield Green have a great sense of humor.  :)

We filmed at a place called Pioneer Bluffs which is a gorgeous public property with many uses.  It consists of lots of tall trees, a creek, an old cabin from 1859, which you will see in the project, and many other interesting buildings and barns.  We were lucky on the day of the shoot because there was not a soul there.  It was early Spring and Pioneer Bluffs was operating  on their Winter schedule, which means it was basically closed (thank you, art gods).  

Modeling for this project are my beautiful niece Faith and her handsome fiancĂ© Sam.  They did such a fantastic job at the shoot.  It is not always easy because there is a little bit of acting necessary for this, and they have to put up with me constantly saying things like "turn your head this way...walk that way...no, other way...look at me, now look away", etc.  Their patience was extraordinary the entire time.  They moved with grace and their expressions were brilliant as you will see in the video and photos.  I could not have asked for an easier pair to work with!  Thank you again Faith and Sam!

So here we go with a simple story told in film, photos and painting...



******************

On a Lazy Day in Matfield Green







On a Lazy Day in Matfield Green
oil on canvas
24 x 30 inch

***********************************

Thank you all so much for your incredible enthusiasm for our project!  It has been a joy to create these and the fact that they bring joy to others encourages me to do more.  Thank you again!

♥ Lisa

21 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thank you Cindy. So sweet of you to take the time to comment! xo

      Delete
  2. You are one of the coolest artists I have ever been acquainted with. Keep up this fantastic work you are doing!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Teresa! What a sweet comment! :) xo

      Delete
  3. Tell Faith and Sam thanks for the tour of Pine Bluffs. They were great as models and as video stars. And what a wonderful painting Lisa! The fabrics, the dandelions...I love it all! Well done!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Donna! I sure will tell them! I really appreciate you taking the time to comment. This has become a project that is dear to me. I am excited to see where this goes. :) Hugs.

      Delete
  4. This is really amazing, Lisa,.
    I love the creative flow... seeing your role as director and editor work so smoothly shows the thought you obviously put into it. I am thinking you must "see" it all in your mind?
    I enjoyed the storyline and the resulting painting. There is a solid, permanent feeling to their love .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Julie! Yes, the story comes first and then we seek out ways to tell it with the video. I actually drove to Matifield Green twice...the first time to explore the area and get ideas for the shoot PRIOR to the actual shoot. That way Faith and Sam don't have to wait on me to get my thoughts straight. Even so, we were still out there for two hours. You would be amazed at how many video clips and photos don't work out. So I pick and choose what does work and then sort of glue it all together.
      They will be thrilled that you picked up on their love...they will be married very very soon! :)

      Delete
  5. Lisa - this is so well done - your script, direction and filming - plus the music is perfect. And the painting -wow - you captured the essence of the film and your actors. Amazing job!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the really nice comment Judy. I was thrilled when I found that music and it seemed to help the tone for Faith and Sam's part. Thanks for the visit!

      Delete
  6. beautful (all of it), my friend...

    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Lynne. You would LOVE the Flint Hills I think. xoxo

      Delete
  7. As I have said Lisa you have really raised the bar now...this is such a wonderful way to work for you. You are a natural storyteller in your art anyway and this amplifies that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Morag. I apologize for my late response. We have been traveling quite a bit the last month and a half.
      Anyways, thank you so much for your comment. I really love working on this project. The three parts...video, photography, and painting leave a world of techniques to explore and my head is bursting with ideas. I can't seem to work fast enough! However, the project is on hold now as our star, Faith is getting married very soon and she is much too busy to model. But I found a dress for the third one and have the site picked out and the story is brewing. :)
      I appreciate your visit and words. xo

      Delete
  8. Fantastic!!! Beautiful!! Love the atmosphere! Love everything! Gorgeous painting! Well done Lisa!! Big Hugs!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Stacy! You are always such an encourager and I am grateful! Hugs back!

      Delete
  9. Wow, I'm just blown away Lisa. Every phase is just beautiful and the project as a whole just has such a timeless feel to it. And the painting itself - I can see how that took so long, so much gorgeous detail.

    ReplyDelete