“Remnants of Autumn” 36″x 48″ oil and metal leaf on canvas – $4,500
Weather, both good and bad, seems to affect my paintings. I try to select the brightest aspect of the scenes I wish to paint and fill the canvas with as much cheerful color as possible, but I’m finding that I’m much more drawn to spring and summer subjects when the sun is shining.
This painting is an exception, because it holds the last of the season’s fall leaves of my favorite vine maple tree in front of my studio. (It is the same tree photographed in the banner above.) I watch the tree through all seasons, rejoicing in its first bright green leaves, then its full darker green growth with squirrels chewing its seeds and into the colorful display of autumn leaves.
Usually, all of these changes are viewed looking toward the studio, but the view of this painting is from the inside of the studio, looking out toward the leaves silhouetted against the gray sky. I photographed the scene several years ago, and this year, after seeing the same view again, decided to paint it.
The skies are still gray at the moment, with a lot of rain coming down, but the rest of the paintings in the studio are bursting with spring blossoms, getting ready for spring shows and showing a lot of sunshine. I’ll hold the autumn painting for a later show.
