Monday, May 25, 2009

PATH BY THE RIVER


Down to warmer climes where the trees are in leaf. I spend a lovely two hours painting by the salmon river. The water is hypnotic and a familiar painting subject, and I have a wonderful time painting it. But all these leaves! I keep remembering what I tell students: simplify the masses. I am having trouble doing just that. Maybe I need to spend more time painting greenery.

Rick drives out from home to join me for a hike in the woods along the river, a perfect cap to the day. Blooms hidden among the greenery, and even at eye level. Yellow violets, spring beauty, oxalis, bleeding hearts, corydalis with spikes in various stages of development.

When I get the painting home, it has changed dramatically. The big trees on the right are needlessly massive and heavy and the greens have all shifted into muck. I think I’ll put this one down to enjoying the painting experience. A friend of mine says put up the bad ones too. I’ll give it a try this once.

3 comments:

Celeste Bergin said...

...that is a really nice painting! Very beautiful colors.

Karen Lewis said...

So... the minute I, the artist decide that the painting is no good, someone else will like it. Maybe part of the problem is that I was there, and I am comparing in my mind the painting as is with what I meant to paint.
Puzzled.

Cesc Ginesta said...

This is a very good job, and we welcome this. Keep it up, you're on your way .....