american artist
Starr Weems
watercolor
The Deep South Memorialized
by Angela Capesius
There is something magical about growing up in
the Deep South, especially spending warm summer
nights catching fireflies and being able to gaze up at
the stars with endless wonder. Alabama artist Starr
Weems has perfectly captured that childhood memory
in her Night Lights Gallery. Weems writes, “These
memories include vibrant jars of produce cooling
on my great-grandmother’s windowsills and falling
asleep on summer evenings by the light of a Mason
jar sparkling with fireflies.” She not only captures her
childhood memories but she will also get inspiration
from her dreams.
Now that she has children of her own, they are
a major influence and source of ideas. She has a
painting called “Pieces,” which captures the difficulty
and uncertainty that can come along with having
a child with autism. It has a special meaning to her
as she has a special-needs child. Puzzle pieces are
the well-fitting symbol of autism and she uses them
to capture the feelings that are associated in dealing
with such a baffling disorder.
Weems exclusively paints in watercolor and uses
a process called pouring. As she explains, “It’s almost
more like printmaking than painting. Pouring involves
coating the paper with drawing gum in certain areas
and then spilling the paint over the gum, tilting the
painting this way and that to guide the color. The layers
of transparent color overlap and mingle, providing a
depth and glow that I love.” Her paintings use such
vibrant colors that overlay each other and give them
such a great warmth.
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