Beaming Mountain Sunset VI

 

Beaming Mountain Sunset VI, acrylic on board, 16"x12", 2023 ~SOLD

 

My First Set of Wood-Round Paintings

 

During the 2022 Holiday Season, I painted a set of 6 wood round ornaments. They were a big success and turned out beautifully. Six months later, I finally got to the next stage of my round painting series - the larger, approximately 9" round mountain vistas. This was a neat change of pace from the traditional squares and rectangles.

 

 Beaming Mountain Sunset VII, acrylic paint on wood round 9" diameter, 2023 ~SOLD 

 

Mandala Sunrise II, acrylic paint on wood round 9" diameter, 2023 

Available at the Two Old Crows Gallery in Pagosa Springs, Colorado

 

Mandala Sunrise II, acrylic paint on wood round 9" diameter, 2023 Available at the Two Old Crows Gallery in Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Starry Night Above the Rockies III, acrylic paint on wood round 9" diameter, 2023 Available at the Two Old Crows Gallery in Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Mandala Sunrise

Mandala Sunrise, acrylic on art board, 11"x14", 2023 

Available via the Aspen and Evergreen Gallery in Estes Park, Colorado

Starry Night Above the Rockies II

 

Starry Night Above the Rockies II, acrylic on art board, 14"x11", 2023 

Available via the Aspen and Evergreen Gallery in Estes Park, Colorado

 

Beaming Mountain Sunset V

 

Beaming Mountain Sunset V, acrylic on art board, 11"x14", 2023 

Available via the Two Old Crows Gallery in Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Starry Night Above the Rockies I

Starry Night Above the Rockies I, acrylic on art board, 11"x14", 2023 

Available via the Two Old Crows Gallery in Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Beaming Mountain Sunrise IV

Beaming Mountain Sunrise IV, acrylic on art board, 14"x11", 2023
Available via the Aspen and Evergreen Gallery in Estes Park, Colorado

Reawakening

Reawakening, acrylic on board, 48"x48" framed, 2023 ~Available
Visit Kasia's Online Art Shop: https://www.kasiapolkowskashop.com/product-category/paintings-drawings/

I live in the foothills of the San Juan Mountains in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. I love spending time in the mountains, taking in the views of the mountains that seem to go on forever. When the sun rises from behind the mountains and lights up the landscape, giving it a new life, waking it up for the day ahead - that moment is so special. A couple of years ago, I created 2 sets of lotus sculptures to express the magic and the power of new beginnings that each day brings us.

I created the above set of 5 lotus flower sculptures covered in hand cut glass mosaic and handmade ceramic tiles I made in the studio. The flowers face East toward Sangre de Cristo Mountains seen from my 40 acre Mystic Valley Sculpture Park in Mosca, Colorado. These lotus flowers are symbolic relics, opening up toward the rising sun that comes up from our beautiful Mt Blanca. On a different part of the property, I installed my other 5 lotus flowers which face the West toward San Juan Mountains and the setting sun. Seen below, they have more of a night shade color scheme. They represent the flowers getting ready to close for the night. Together these 10 flowers represent the cycle of new beginnings, a theme I love to explore. 

 I looked back on these sculpture installations while painting the sky in the above newest painting.

Above is the painting in-progress - the mountains complete and the sky is in the works! I included the pinks form my day time lotus sculptures as well as the blues form the night shade sculptures. In the sky, I added the lotus pattern to express the early morning as a time of renewal and reawakening, encouraging opening up toward the sun just like the lotus flower does each morning.

Below is a glimpse into my little painting nook in the studio. Working on a lot of this painting was a sort of meditative process. My mind was very busy and I was very conscious of that. I tried to relax and breath as I added thousands of tiny, colorful strokes to this relaxing vista. I hope that it has a calming effect on whomever looks at it as I know we all need that in our life from time to time, to be reminded of the stillness and gentle beauty of the rising sun in a pristine, mountain setting.

 Below are some process shots of the making of this painting.