The Clearing

The Clearing

30" x 40"  - acrylic on canvas - $600

I started this painting last December and finished it in April, after several starts and stops and time away from it. 

It is loosely based on several photo ideas of 'trees in woods'. I wanted to work with a vertical format and liked the idea of creating a sense of space through a series of receding diagonal lines, and distant trees. Once I started the painting I liked the basic composition but could not quite figure out the trees and how to depict them in a way I was happy with.  Here are some stages.....

At this point I was fairly frustrated and thought that perhaps eliminating some areas or at least making them less distinct might be interesting, so that is what I did.

Unfortunately, I continued to obliterate, went too far and then simply lost anything to work with. Turned the canvas to the wall and ignored it for several weeks.

I hung onto the photos however, then played with ideas, and a few weeks ago decided to try once again. My goal at that point was to be bold, keep the brushwork active, and not to refine or overpaint. I also chose a predominantly green-yellow-purple palette, one that I don't often work with, but really like. In this way the final painting came together fairly quickly, and I think quite successfully too. And it only took four months to paint!