Spring Gavotte, 12x24

Portrait Painting.....
.....happens every other week over at Millard Davidson's studio (see his work HERE).  I had noticed this tree a couple of weeks before at his place and was just waiting for a day that the sun was cooperative....or were the clouds being cooperative?

Anyway, during our portrait session the sky had mostly cleared and the Big Leaf Maple was clearly enjoying the moment.  I had thought ahead (take note) and been driving around with a panel I thought would work, so I set up the easel and grabbed a #12 flat and blasted away at it before the clouds moved back in.

As I painted a part of me was trying to think of a name, assuming it turned out.  Everything I thought of seemed too static or cliche'.   Toward the end I noticed the smaller trees that had sprouted from the thousands of maple seeds this thing would have dropped each year.  It was obviously a dance celebrating the return of the sun.....or something.  The big maple was like the Pied Piper.  Perhaps I'm being a bit anthropomorphic.

Painted on a 12x24 piece of MDF that I had to used Miracle Muck to glue on a piece of Frederix canvas . The best part was I got to use my brand new 'why did I buy this?' tube of Gamblin Cadmium Green for the sun struck moss on the limbs.  Nothing else glowed enough to work.

Thanks for looking.  Back soon.

Out My Backdoor, 10 x 12

The abstraction and intricacy of things is becoming more appealing.

This a small section of a hundred foot tall Big Leaf Maple that I have been enthralled with for several years.  It has leaves larger than dinner plates that, in the summer, just form a dark canopy.  However, in the Spring and Fall the leaves are more translucent and the colors get interesting.

The urge to 'just do it' finally overcame the 'reticence to try' and, after an initial 'scrape and start over', I like the results.  So many colors.  So many seductive opportunities to make a boring order out of interesting randomness.  And several times thinking that 'this will never turn out......no way'.

Just Do It.