“Winter Tree” 36″ x 48″ oil and metal leaf on canvas – $4,000
Lately, the seasons seem to be changing too rapidly. I just start to enjoy the new green leaves of the vine maples, the buds on the hydrangea bushes and the next thing I know, the maple leaves are yellow and red and the flowers are faded.
It is a different matter inside the studio. I used to paint one season at a time, even though it was different from the actual season. I needed to paint fall paintings in the spring and summer and spring paintings in the fall and winter in order to have them coincide correctly for shows.
Since I have started painting my new technique of oils and metal leaf, the exacting nature of the progressive steps has delayed completion of every painting. At the moment, I’m finishing a spring hydrangea, a late summer grape vine, two fall vine maples and framed a winter landscape. And, in my head, I’m designing a new red poppy painting.
I have to admit that, with the bluster, rainy weather, I’m enjoying all of the unfinished paintings sitting around the studio. The shimmering light of all of the metal leaf makes the studio glow and inspires me to paint even brighter paintings.
The painting above is one of the two selected by the jury for the fall show at the Portland Art Museum Rental/Sales Gallery opening Oct. 28. The other painting selected is “Vine Maple Tees”, shown in the last post.
