Painting of the Day, December 9, 2011

By Donna Poulton

"Winter is lovely to paint because…you’ve got a beautiful harmony of color relationships—the lavenders in the road. Every note of color has a relationship." - LeConte Stewart

LeConte Stewart once said he “would rather paint then eat.” He was one of Utah’s most important regional artists because of his style and because he concentrated on a narrow valley hugging the foothills of the Wasatch mountains. For more than seventy-five years he painted the urban and rural landscape of northern Utah. Preferring the outdoors to the studio, he could often be seen at the side of a road or out in a field sketching or painting. People knew that if he didn’t acknowledge you when you walked by, he didn’t want to be bothered, but if he said hello, it was a signal that he welcomed the company.

LeConte Stewart (1890-1991), Untitled, c. 1949, oil, location unknown

For more information on Stewart you might be interested in this post about a current exhibition of his work.