Serenità, Italian for “serenity,” perfectly describes the warm haze hovering above the motionless waters of the Ticino River. The boats are still anchored, and only one person has ventured out on the river walk to see if any fish will bite this early in the morning. The pastel yellows and grayish greens are a warm invitation for this man to start his day in the stillness, beauty and hope of a new day dawning.
Little Rock native Kristen Hess has been taken captive by the rich colors and thick textures of oil paints since 2005. Her work combines the effect of light on her subjects with expressive brushstrokes, creating movement and depth in her pieces. Her representational style along with an extensive background in drawing come together with the atmospheric colors of the impressionists to create paintings that capture the emotion of the place or subject.
