I enjoyed doing this painting because I spent a lot more time on details. Usually I stop with a looser, more impressionistic style but this one called for what my students call my "2 hairs brush". I try to get them to always use a bigger brush than what they are comfortable with however, I'll have to admitt sometimes its just fun to tighten up
Working out the compositions in black and white first is fascinating. Color is eye catching but value does the heavy lifting in paintings. If you get it right you create magic.
On the coldest day of the year, with a wind chill of -0, I am excited about a new show of Spring paintings coming soon to Black Dog Salvage and the Peaks of Otter. Can you feel the Sunlight?
After viewing #5 of the Series at the Peaks of Otter a friend commissioned this painting, similar but with a hiking trail . Thank you Beth Letz! Glad it has a good home!
Slowing Life down is important and I am speaking to myself now. I wish I had time to sit on one of these rocks and just think and sing and praise the Lord for what He has created!. I am teaching three days a week and painting full time! I love every minute of my life, but I will take a break from painting for the next two months to enjoy the holidays and start my Christmas shopping. It is good to refocus and prioritize life. However, my series is not finished !!!!....I still have 19 more painting in this series before I start thinking about another!
The Peaks of Otter is aways a delight to visit. This is a scene I did not paint from a photograph but from memories of the light and shadow and smell and warmth of sunlight. I am really enjoying taking the artistic license to recreate and compose with my paintings to capture the essense and not always the exact image.
Last night was the first frost of 2025. It came later than usual but was a reminder that winter is coming. I guess I'm trying to mentally prepare for the cold!! The icy creek leads into the warm sunset. Of course I had to warm up something! And what better warmth than the reminder of The Son who shines His warmth and light and love on us every day.
