New Work: Yellow and Red Forest, oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches

 

Yellow and Red Forest, oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches

In the studio, $5700 framed

 
This piece expands on my earlier 24 x 24-inch work, Colored Veils. Every time I start a new canvas, it quickly takes on a life of its own and that was definitely what occurred here.
 
While I initially set out to retain many of the elements I liked in the smaller painting, this larger canvas evolved in another way. As I worked, the composition shifted, evolving into a more abstracted interpretation of the original forest scene.
 
The bold split between the yellows and reds in the composition divides the canvas almost in half, creating a striking contrast without additional tree trunks interrupting the central area. I enjoy the sharp, modern effect of this division—it feels fresh and dynamic. Although I’d like to say this was entirely intentional, in truth I was simply responding to the canvas, finding the best solutions in the moment.

Lynn’s Sky, oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches

Exhibiting: Saks Galleries, Denver, CO.

$5700 framed
 
My friend Lynn had her photo taken with this sunset in the background. The glowing orange and blue clouds made an intriguing combination, inspiring me to paint them.
 
There was a subtle glow in that sky and in translating it to the canvas, I made a conscious effort to illuminate every part of this work. Making that happen involves numerous variations of each color, an intriguing puzzle.
 
Another important aspect to this work is how everything flows from side to side, the light flowing upward and the descending diagonals at the top. 
 
The dark, radiant strip at the bottom wasn’t originally planned but my experiment with the radiant blues set off all of those warmer colors nicely.
 
This is a painting full of nuance and it was a pleasure to explore them all.