“Lamplight at le Vieux Logis”, 14×11, Oil.  Winner of ‘Best Realism” from the 2019 Best of America SMALL PAINTING National Juried Exhibition at the RS Hanna Gallery, Fredericksburg, Texas.

The table is set; the setting intimate.  The glasses sparkle, and an air of anticipation is pervasive.  The scene leaves the viewer with questions to complete; who is expected, what will the scene look like when populated with convivial guests?  When we experience a painting that leaves questions in our minds, or leads us to complete the story in our minds eye, the painting at once becomes memorable.  When the painting is done with an excellent hand, it becomes more so.

  “Set for Receiving Royalty, Chatsworth House” 14×18, Oil, Collection of the Artist.

Lindsay Goodwin began her art career early on, teaching children’s art classes by the time she was 16.  She had taken adult classes in classical techniques at “O’Neills Fine Arts, at that time located in Malibu (now in Pacific Palisades, CA), so was well equipped to teach.  This early training served her well, when she later attended the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and graduated with a degree in Fine Arts with an emphasis on classical painting.

  “Gatherings from the Garden, Chateau Bridoire”, 16×16, Oil, Collection of the Artist.

After working with Katie O’Neill and later Craig Nelson at the University, she began to develop her style of Alla Prima painting, or wet into wet.  The classes in Quick Studies taught her to paint with speed and accuracy, without “fussing or overworking.  The speed and strategy with which one needs to be able to work is fast and exciting, and ensures that I’m never bored with what I’m working on.”

  “Prehistoric Elegance at Hotel de Bouilhac near Lascaux”, 9×12, Oil, Jones and Terwilliger Gallery.

Many of Goodwin’s paintings are interior scenes; restaurants, cafes, and historic scenes, “from the rustic countryside interiors to the opulent dining rooms.”  Her inspiration is ignited by dark and light transitions, reflections and mood, and working in the Alla Prima style allows her to capture her initial inspiration.  Her aesthetic has been influenced by painters such as John Singer Sargent, a master of light, shadow and brushwork.

  “Afternoon Tea at the Montage”, 14×11, Oil, Jones and Terwilliger Gallery.

Her day in the studio is often a long one; working wet into wet requires that her paint remains fluid.  While her process is most suited for small paintings, a large painting can be completed in this style by selectively working on specific areas in each sitting.  Her palette consists mainly of a warm and cool color of each primary, plus a few mixed pigments for convenience.  She begins with a quick sketch done in paint, and then proceeds to apply her color.  To view some of her time-lapse paintings in process, visit her Instagram posts at LindsayGoodwinfineArt.

  “Baguettes and Rose at La Bicyclette, Carmel”, 12×12, Oil.

Over the course of her studies and career, Goodwin has come to realize that all artists work somewhat differently; what works for one may not neccessarily work for another.  What is most important, says Goodwin, is to “do what works for you.  Study great art, whatever that means to you, but don’t listen to that voice in your head that says ‘Oh, serious artists work that way…’ Study those rules, but also know when to follow your own.”

Her greatest acheivement?  Her children, a source of continuous pride!

Lindsay Goodwin’s work is represented by Jones & Terwlliger Galleries, Carmel, CA and Palm Desert, CA; and by Ella Richardson Fine Art Gallery, Charleston, SC.  To view her website visit www.lindsaygoodwin.com.

Written by Patricia Tribastone, NOAPS Blog Director