Ponderosa Tall

This isn't your typical plein air painting -- it's more of a study or sketch than a full-fledged effort at Art (with a capital "a"!) I was intrigued by the silhouette of the ponderosa pine's trunk against the distant hills. For some reason, I kept seeing these as blocks of pure color rather than as tree and hill. And this is the way I painted it.

I also wanted to make sure I was capturing the value relationships of the different shapes. Color and value -- these are what I was working on here.

"Ponderosa Tall," 10x8, oil/panel, en plein air

By the way, I will be taking a sabbatical from the "weekly paintings" for a month or so. We have sold the New Mexico house and will shortly be on our way to our home in the Canadian Maritimes. You can look forward to more weekly paintings after June 1!

Not Yet Spring

I went out with a student yesterday to Carissa Springs, which can be quite lovely in the spring when the cottonwoods and willows leaf out. We were a tad disappointed, as it is already early April and the trees had barely started!

Fortunately, I found myself a little stand of gambel oak nestled against a hillside. The sunlight came filtering down through their empty branches and set aglow last year's leaves on the forest floor. The shadows were very cool and the light very warm. I am very happy with the bold strokes and even bolder color.

"Not Yet Spring," 11x14, oil, en plein air [SOLD]