Back in the Studio

"Through the Trees"

Back in the Studio

I'm back in the studio after devoting most of the month of February to packing, painting rooms and clearing away excess stuff in preparation for selling my house. No new work was created in Windy Hill Studio except for a couple of Shamrockin' hand-painted silk scarves. So after a month without painting I was more than ready to get back into the studio.

"Through the Trees" (watercolor) is inspired by the view from the grounds of Singer Castle on Dark Island, in the Thousand Islands Region of the St. Lawrence River. The painting though is more about light and mood rather than a specific place. 

As one of many painters who are inspired by the River I am always looking for new ways to approach my work. So many artists are painting the same iconic scenes and each has their own style. I am happy to be included among the many River painters. But as an artist I feel the need to go beyond the imagery to paint a mood or feeling. 

Simple shapes, organic forms and limited color

In the painting "Through the Trees" I used an analogous color scheme -- colors that are next to each other on the color wheel--to keep the composition simple and unified. The wet-on-wet technique was used throughout the painting to create a soft, muted effect with the colors as they blended seamlessly one into another.

The lower third of the painting is an ambiguous shadowy area creating a kind of boundary between the viewer and The River.

The simple shapes, organic forms, and limited color  reminded me of some of the Arts and Crafts Movement prints--which I have always loved. The day before I painted this scene I had seen an art show featuring a few Arts and Crafts style pieces which must have influenced me.

I plan on painting an acrylic version of this piece, which I know will have an entirely different feel. I'll post that when it is finished.