The painters of the Impressionist period: Degas, Monet, and especially Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec for his style, attitude and artistic courage have been most influential on Lynn’s work. He singles out Albrect Durer for that artist’s drafting skill as representing the crowning achievement in line work: unmatched through the centuries.
Born in Fountain Hill and raised in Hellertown, Pennsylvania: Lynn set up residence in California from 1971 to 1975 where training in commercial art provided the life-long commitment to the pen and the brush. To this day he will tell you that for the painter of landscapes: “the skies of the golden west are unmatched!” Experienced as a Silversmith, Potter, Sculptor and layout artist; his present work focus is ink on paper and acrylic on canvas.
He has painted and drawn in locations such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Vermont to Florida and Texas to California. However he has never lost touch with the Lehigh Valley returning for the unique and historic inspiration only the streets, hills and the views of Bethlehem can provide.
In the manner of the impressionists Lynn works almost exclusively outdoors believing immediacy, like nothing else, reveals sun and shadow while both move across a landscape or illuminate the street.
The line work is detailed where the demands of the illustration require it and sketchy where it needs to be often fading to an imaginative completion by the viewer.
The paints are applied thick in places like oils. Preliminary “drawing” marks, done in brush, appear within detailed color work.
However, the finest advantage to painting in acrylics allows for the sweeping brushstroke of the watercolorist and they are used frequently. You will find washes of color throughout his work.
He sees appreciation of the arts as covering absolutely everything in the visual world. Lynn creates without prejudice or pressure where each day is a spiritual opportunity to capture a small piece of this vast planet and hold it awhile. For the past decade he and his wife have a residence in Highlands, New Jersey where an ocean view studio provides views for his recent work.
A drawing on paper symbolizes a permanent time lock on a view which can never change. My paintings are a scramble to apply a fraction of the day onto canvas before it all slips away.
Both disciplines are their most successful for me when done on location and in the space of hours.Years later I can recall what happened around me during that creative process with almost photographic accuracy.
That is the joy and wonder of it all.
— Lynn Beedle
