Artist Statement: Lee M. Buchanan

The Artist Statement may reflect why an artist paints and what is important to him. I share the passion that urges me to paint the world around me in my artist statement.

As an artist my world revolves around light, dark, shadow, highlights, color and space. I work in watercolors because of the luminosity of the medium. Using washes in my art allows light to reflect off the paper and through the wash, giving dimension and depth to the painting.

I also use watercolors in a rather untraditional way for an artist, using both built-up washes and heavier layers to create texture in my paintings. As an artist, I need to spend time at a location to get a feel for the place as well as the colors, light and shadows. I am drawn to old buildings where I feel the past is just around the corner. If you look hard enough you can imagine what life was like there.

I paint a lot of detail into my painting but I'm not a photorealist. I'm an artist, and I put what I feel is necessary into the painting to express the feeling and the mood that I'm trying to capture in my art. I use the light, texture, color and composition together to create an image that changes moods as the light of day changes.

As an artist, I create paintings that don't always have the same look to them. The painting evolves and changes as the light changes where the painting was sketched. After all, a sunset in Maine looks much different then a sunset at Big Sur, California.

The past is important to me and is expressed in my art. I feel it is our heritage--our history, and that's what compels me to paint. I am also interested in how a building or a location appeared in the past. A lot of the lighthouses and other important buildings in this country are gone and I'm driven to paint these buildings as they were, and preserve the history so people today can enjoy and celebrate them.

Those who view or collect my art often write to tell me of some family member that helped to build the building or who worked there; or that their grandparents or parents were married there. This means a lot to me, for I have a deep feeling for my paintings, and feel that the people who collect my art are my friends.

If you have questions or comments about my artist statement, please contact me. Read my Artist Biography or return to My Art Studio