Frances Dodd
Signature Member
Although landscape remains my primary subject, I enjoy painting figuratives and street scenes in either oil or pastel. The range of texture, color and adaptability of oils is almost limitless. It can be maneuvered from a thin transparent wash to a rich, thick opacity. Pastel, a dry medium, is exciting in it immediacy, freshness and brilliance. Pastels are intense, vibrant and available in a vast selection of colors. When asked what my favorite medium is, I can’t choose. I love them equally!
What attracts me to any subject are the shapes and values within it. I see objects primarily as a shape or form. Moving these shapes around to build a pleasing abstract composition is my first priority. I’ve been known to move mountains, trees and rivers to manipulate nature into a cohesive arrangement on canvas or paper! Beyond composition, color and values are my passion. Many of my works are more about these elements than they are about the actual subject. I’ve been called a colorist and my paintings are recognizable by my use of vibrant color and strong value patterns.
I know a painting has succeeded when it presents a subject stamped with my own authenticity, using exciting and harmonious color choices together with strong darks and lights. It needs to have an imaginative interpretation of the subject and my own personal vision, rather than a literal rendering. I hope to continue to grow as an artist; my learning and passion never ebbs. The destination is always before me and I never, ever “get there”!
She holds signature membership in the Pastel Society of America.