Yellow Landscape

Parkway Series #127   12 x 16   oil   $95.

Another experiment in linseed oil on a white background looks a bit different from most of my paintings.  However, this one I like because of the muted and duller colors.  The neutral palette works well with the winter landscape and the yellow ochre pulls the foreground closer to the viewer and warms the cold ground.

Painting on White

Parkway Series #126   12 x 16  oil   $95.

In my experimental phase of this series, I tried linseed oil on a white background instead of red.  This painting does not have the richness of last week's paintings.  I may try once more but feel a bit naked without my colored background.   I am learning more and more every day what I like and bold color is definitely my passion.

Classical ideas

Parkway Series #125   12 x 16   oil   Sold

On this canvas, I covered the red background with linseed oil before beginning to paint.  This is the technique of the old masters who achieved very soft backgrounds and glazed many layers of paint to achieve the realism of Classical art.  I have not used this technique with my Impressionistic style but I like the softness of the background so I may experiment more with this idea.

Balance

Parkway Series #124  12 x 16   oil    $95. 

It is interesting how little things in a painting will add to the overall compostition.  The strong diagonals coming from the left down the mountain are balanced by the small branch that bends from the tree on the right hanging down over the road.  Without that one branch the whole painting would be off balance.

Bruegel Revisited

Parkway Series #123   12 x 16   oil   Sold

From this Parkway overlook, downtown Roanoke can be seen to the left.  I was taking the photo almost directly into the setting sun and the shadows seemed to revolve from the direction of the sun like the spokes of a wheel.  The red behind the trees gives warmth to a cold sunset.  Something about this painting reminds me of a Bruegel landscape.  He was a (14th c.) Flemish painter who painted snowy Alpine landscapes.

On my way home

Parkway Series #122   12 x 16  oil   $95.

According to Webster's dictionary, discipline means training that corrects, perfects and refines.  My goal in this project was to discipline myself to paint every day with the hope of refining my skills.  It is not an easy task to make myself paint especially with my inspiration being closed for such a long time! However, discipline as much as it is associated with "punishment" is actually an incredible blessing;  I am learning so much.  This six month point is interesting;  I am painting faster, with more ease, experimenting more, knowing what I like and don't like as far as style.  I feel that when the extended Parkway finally opens my improvement as an artist will fly at a much faster pace in the last six months of this project.

Red Undertones

Parkway Series #121   12 x 16    oil,   $95.

All of the paintings this week will have red undertones.  I really enjoy working on a midtone red background.  For the past month, I have been working on a light orange background which introduces warmth into the cold landscapes of winter.  Orange and blue are complements so it also brightens the dull winter scenes.  Red, however, is the complement of green and the plan was to wait until Spring before changing to red.  With cabin fever setting in and the desire to experiment, I am jumping into red now and I am excited about the change.  Each painting this week will get bolder with the reds popping through the snow.