Phyllis Hain Northup – Art Inspired by Nature
Recognizing the creative spirit in my young soul, my grandmother gave me a beginner set of oils when I was seven years old. Thus began my love affair with all things art and the beginning of a lifetime of learning and growing as an artist and art teacher.
My parents supported my interest with painting lessons all through elementary and high school, followed by my BA in Fine Arts.
Having married a National Park Ranger, I have had the good fortune to move all over the country and live in some of our nation’s most spectacular places. My “backyards” have included the soaring majesty of the Tetons, the ever changing and awe inspiring Grand Canyon, the stark beauty of the Big Bend desert, the beaches of Cape Hatteras, the flowing water and limestone cliffs of the Buffalo River, the misty ridges of the Smoky Mountains and the pristine jewel of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, where the spirit of Lake Superior inspired me on a daily basis. The adventure continues as we have returned to settle in the beautiful mountains of Shenandoah National Park, where our journey began many years ago.
My work is inspired by nature, particularly in National Parks, having lived in and visited so many. I am an avid outdoorswoman, and always have my camera in my pocket when I am out hiking, biking, kayaking, or otherwise exploring. Since I am usually on the move when I am outdoors, I most often work later from the photographs I take while I am out adventuring. My watercolor technique is very detail-oriented, and I usually spend many hours on a painting, so working later from my photos works better for me. I love to paint not only the larger landscapes but also the intimate landscapes, focusing on the many small wonders all around us that most people don’t notice. When I am outside, I am always looking for that next painting!
I have such a collection of images in my mind and soul from living in so many spectacular places; I will never lose my passion for attempting to capture the essence of their beauty and spirit. Nature recharges my soul, and I hope that both my art and my teaching will help others to see and be open to the beauty of the natural world that surrounds us all. Awareness and appreciation will hopefully lead to the desire to protect, preserve and care for this fragile planet we dwell on!
Many of the paintings in this show are what I call “Intimate Landscapes”, those small nooks in nature that are absolutely lovely and go mostly unnoticed… most folks just walk by and don’t see them. Look closely at the complexity of the patterns of water at the edge of a pond as it gently ripples around a rock, and take in the beautiful patterns in the turkey tail fungus clinging to tree bark. Notice the rich diversity of color, pattern, and shape in beach stones, the beauty of a single yellow pond lilly, or the amazing variety of things you might find on the forest floor. My hope is that these paintings will help people open their eyes to the beauty of the natural world all around them.
I have included several paintings of National Parks. They are truly “America’s Best Idea” and are treasures that belong to all of us, a rich heritage of natural and cultural resources. The Organic Act of 1916 issued the mandate,
“to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for their enjoyment in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.”
I am passionate about the importance of protecting these special places, having lived, worked in, and traveled to so many. We can’t take for granted that our National Parks and Monuments will always be there for us, so I urge you to be an advocate and support your parks. Aren’t we fortunate to have Shenandoah, one of the crown jewels of the National Park system, right here in our back yard?
Other paintings in this collection celebrate the beauty of the natural world… landscapes, botanicals, rocks and water, trees and night skies and so much more. I hope that my art will help others to see and be open to the beauty of the natural world that surrounds us all. Awareness and appreciation will hopefully lead to the desire to protect, preserve and care for this fragile planet we dwell on!
