Impressions in Barbados 01 / A Land of Beauty

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Impressionism is a theory or style
of painting, literature or music which aims to reflect subjective impressions
rather than objective reality.

In 1995 I had the pleasure of going to the island of
Barbados during the week of the Crop-Over Festival. The festival is a week-long celebration of
the sugar crop production of the year. This is a celebratory time for
visitors and native islanders who line the streets and beaches in search of fun
and surf. I was with a party of 12 that consisted of my sister and her friends.
We stayed in some lovely and remote time-shares located on the southern part of
the island.

The Impressions in Barbados series was created as a
salutation to all of the impressionist painters who have over the years turned
landscapes, seascapes, towns and islands into a visual paradise. I have always
felt that this style of painting exemplifies the beauty that can be found in
the manipulation of light and color. The key is in the brush stroke. In all of the
pieces here, I attempt to imitate various brush strokes to convey the essence
of Impressionism.

For this post, I have separated the series into 3 parts i.e.
Beauty, Celebration and Ceremony. This being part 1, I am concentrating on the beauty of the
island and focusing on its natural habitat.

What do you think? Are you a lover of Impressionism? Do you
like this style of painting and if not what is your favorite? Who are some of
your most revered Masters when you think of Impressionism? Is it Cezanne, Van
Gogh, Matisse or a contemporary that you love? Please share your thoughts. And finally,
where have you vacationed that has been or could be a great work of
impressionistic art?