It’s Raining, It’s Pouring!

Spring is here. We woke up this morning to thunder, lightning, and pouring rain. A few years ago, that would have sent me into a panic since the studio had flooding problems when we bought this house. Thank goodness my awesome husband was able to fix the problems! Even so, whenever it’s raining especially hard, I do come down to the studio with a slight bit of trepidation. Will I be greeted with puddles of water?

All is well here in the studio this morning. No leaks, no dribbles, no puddles, no mess — well, all right, yes, there IS a mess, but it’s not from the storm. It’s just my every day “making a mess” now that I’m doing art here again.

Weather has often been a strong influence on artists. Those who paint en plein air, of course, may be quite disgruntled when spring rains keep them inside! Of course, rain has inspired many artists, and “atmosphere” — another word, really, for weather — is one of the attributes good painters must learn to incorporate into their work.

If you’re interested in tips, tricks, and techniques, you might want to check out these titles:

Oil Painting

Land and Llight Workshop – Painting Mood and Atmosphere in Oils

An Artist’s Guide to Painting Light

Watercolor

Atmosphere, Mood, and Light

Skies, Light, and Atmosphere in Watercolour

Light, mood, atmosphere… these are all essential elements of “weather”, and artists throughout the ages have found rainy days, cloudy skies, and raging storms inspiring.

My first art award, in fact, came from my painting of gathering storm clouds:

Over the years I’ve also done a lot of “cloudy sky” paintings, many inspired by watercolor artist Joseph Mallord William Turner. He created hundreds of watercolor sketches and paintings of rainy days, such as this one, housed in the Tate Museum:

Here he used watercolor washes and then thicker gouache brushstrokes to suggest the gathering clouds and lashing rain. Although not a favorite work of art, I can nevertheless look at this and feel the chill in the air and the cold drops of rain.

Another painting by Turner is “Rain, Steam, and Speed”, which is often considered to herald the start of the impressionist movement.

Although I’m intrigued by Turner’s style — and have studied his works quite a bit — when it comes to rain, I prefer paintings with a bit more definition. One that we’re all familiar with, I think, is Paris Street, Rainy Day by Gustave Calleibotte.

This painting is actually HUGE — 10 foot by 7 foot — the largest of his paintings. The scene shown is the Place de Dublin, a square not too far from where the artist lived.

Another of his work — perhaps my favorite of his — is L’Yerres:

I think perhaps one reason why these “rain-inspired” paintings appeal to so many viewers is because rain is — for most of us, at least — a familiar part of our life experience. Rain brings many thoughts and feelings; rain evokes many emotions.

• Sadness and feelings of melancholy often come with gloomy weather and incessant rain.
• Gentle rain can also bring a sense of comfort and coziness. How many of us often fall asleep to recordings of rainy days?
• Spring rains often bring a feeling of renewal and rebirth. The earth is nourished by these rains and our gardens begin to grow.
• Rain may also evoke feelings of nostalgia, romantic memories, and feelings of intimacy.

Here are a few additional “rain-inspired” paintings from various artists in different places:

Rain at Arles – Vincent van Gogh

Rain on the Moor – David Cox

Rainy Day in Boston – Childe Hassam

Personally, I love the rain. I love the sound of the rain, whether it’s a gentle pitter-patter or a fierce pounding against the windows! I love the dampness in the air, the feel of raindrops splashing against my skin, the indescribable scent — known as petrichor — that comes when rain hits dry soil. There’s a scientific explanation for that distinct smell, but you don’t want to read it. Trust me. Petrichor sounds much more mysterious, romantic, and evocative!

Now, it sounds as though our thunderstorms have moved on. There’s not even a distant flickering of lightning left. I enjoyed this morning’s spring rain, and I enjoyed browsing through various galleries online to see how rainy days have influenced other artists.

Do you have favorite “rain-inspired” paintings?

How have you been inspired by rain in your own art?