Water to Oil - Greg Thweatt

69) Autumn Gold

2009-12-28T00:22:00.002-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

First day in November, an unexpected warm autumn day. The harvest has past, the throngs of pickers gone, the store doors closed for another season and yet I love this short time of the year at the orchard. Though the maples, oaks and birch have lost their mantles, the harvest gold spread throughout the 100 acres of the orchard creating an amazing sea of yellows and oranges. Few apples cling to the branches, though a carpet of fallen fruit make walking slow going.

I sat down at the north end of the orchard mid on a Sunday afternoon. Georgia’s patience waned and I painted quickly. The red tailed hawk circled cautiously above and in the distance the call of Canadian Geese winging south. This is the final work of my third year creating at the orchard and the close of a chapter. Like the geese I am preparing to leave this wondrous place for a new home, and so I close with the gold, purples, blues and reds of the trees I have been blessed to share this time with.

68) Harvest Time With Pumpkins and Mums

2009-10-04T21:31:00.004-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - Not For Sale

The last Friday in September sitting outside by the Cider House Store just as the orchard was opening for the day. A row of pumpkins lined the front of the deck on one side with mums on the other. Orange ran throughout the picture from the pumpkins to the shades in the gravel and the early signs of autumn foliage. The store sells so much more than apples, pies, cider, and donuts (though they would serve the community just as well if that is all they offered), also are found shelves lined with Vermont made products including maple syrup, salsa, shirts, and greeting cards . As a local artist I so appreciate this support of the local economy, a passion of Shelburne Orchards.

67) Liberty Harvest

2009-10-04T21:28:00.003-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

A late September trip to the orchard. Late in the afternoon about 2 hours before sunset I drove down to the Liberty block in the northwest corner of the orchard. I love this space with the two short rows of trees tucked between the sumac and the buckwheat. The gentle sound of the lake close by can be heard much like placing my ear to a sea shell.

Before setting up I jogged through the Liberties to the lake with Georgia. The water was still warm enough for a swim, the last one for me on in Lake Champlain this year … and maybe for some time. As I walked back to paint I smelled the ancient smell of cut hay, this odor sends me back to young days at my grandparent’s farm. A constant chorus of crickets followed us while the warmth of the late summer sun filtered through the branches.

As I set up to paint I looked east towards the runway to see a low cloud of dust being kicked up by the orchards “49” (a 1949 Chevy pickup truck). As it moved down the runway a circle of seagulls (really “lakegulls”) circled in the blue sky above the dust. Occasionally one of the gulls would arc downward into the settling cloud. Soon the truck appeared with Pat and his friend Nick (a recent arrival to work the harvest).

This painting brought me the desire to paint quickly and with little detail. I wanted to play and represent the inner bigness of this happy place. The two trees (as with most of the Liberty apples in this block) were heavy with fruit. The ground shifted in shadow with the movement of the sun towards the horizon leaving oranges and yellows and blues in the grass.

After 45 minutes I took a break to walk barefoot in the grass with Georgia. The coarse wild blades gave way to soft rows of mowed grass, which interested me that something alive would be painful while the dead cuttings were soothing on my feet. As I returned to continue the painting I picked up a Liberty apple from the ground. The dark red skin exposed a bright sheen with a little polishing from my shirt. The bright white flesh was tart and Georgia eagerly trotted by my side while I tossed her bites from the apple in the air.

Unlike other compositions I spent little time in detailing the branch structure of the trees. There gentle curving and melding of shadows interested me. In the right hand side tree is a “bug trap” (orange curved rectangle with a red circle), this is used to trap bugs that infest the trees where they can be observed to determine what insects are inhabiting the trees, and possibly attacking the apples. A long orange ribbon hands near the trap. As I drew near the close of the painting the clouds began to morph into their variety of colors, this time a pale yellow that would later darken into rose and purple before falling into night.

66) Young Fruit

2009-10-04T21:22:00.007-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - Not For Sale

Two young trees from the many rows that run alongside the runway. Tall metal poles add support to each tree while corrugated plastic tubes protect the tender bark from gnawing mice teeth. Many trees are grown to sell, of which these may find their way to a yard or farm sometime in the future. I am happy with the simplicity of this work, the focus on the young trees and soft blue-green sky.

65) Jersey Mac and Clover

2009-10-04T21:19:00.004-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - not for sale

Near the organic section stands a Jersey Macintosh, a small tree full of apples. I was amazed at both the quantity of fruit (compared to much larger neighboring trees) and the bright red coloring of the apples. Throughout the tall grass was both clover and chicory, as it was an early evening in August the chicory had closed their tiny blue blossoms (much to my disappointment).

64) Gate and Maple

2009-10-04T20:55:00.002-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

Mid July sitting on the lawn of Tom and Katra’s home looking towards the south. The red wooden gate stood open gracing one of the entrances to the orchard. A lovely maple shades the corner of the lawn by the gate. Earlier in the day Tom mowed the lawn leaving noticeable lines in the grass creating an interesting geometric dimension to the painting.

63) Buckwheat Field and Elder Lady

2009-10-04T20:46:00.004-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

Early June back in the old trees near the Gate House looking west. The apple tree reminded me of J.R. Tolkien’s Ents or a tree from the Wizard of Oz or a character from one of Walt Disney’s early cartoons. The branches became creaky arms with the possibility that any moment the trunk would lift up and march down the hill toward the newly planted buckwheat.
The willows stood out against the dark trees and lit up as the sun shifted towards the west. I tried to capture the warmth of this light on the trees and the earth of the buckwheat field.

62) Elder Lady 5

2009-10-04T20:35:00.004-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

Late May sitting in the old trees near the Gate House looking west. The elder ladies have so much character. Unlike the younger trees, these sprawling branches have fewer limbs and leaves. Yet after almost a century of life they still produce. I am intrigued by the angles and swirls of branches, some natural and some created through years of pruning. Even the scars from cuts long ago are beautiful creating orange and red swirls in the late afternoon sunlight. The bark glows a rosy red tint through the purple grey bark.

61) Rolling on the Deck

2009-06-16T00:59:00.007-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - Not For Sale

On a Sunday early evening late in May I settled down to paint the front porch of the orchard store. I was intrigued by the trees for sale, the older “balled” trees (left hand side) and the babies or whips potted in large black plastic pots (right hand side contained in the apple crates). Equally, I found the contrast between the red siding of the store and the flanked spray of greens.

Shortly after starting this work Nick arrived with Kevin Clayton and Peter Swift, the trio known as the “Meat Packers” for a practice session on the porch. I smiled as renditions of “Wagon Wheel” from Old Crow Medicine Show (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH0CnjXqCLE) wove through the air, amazingly I heard the song for the first time the night before while driving home. What a cool experience.

Look closely and you can see Nick on mandolin, Kevin on guitar behind the second post and Peter on base obscured between the young burlap clad trees. All gracing the “Cider House Farm Market” and those fortunate enough to pass through the orchard gates.

60) Bee Hives, Wind Sock and Bloom

2009-06-16T00:26:00.003-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - not for sale

The orchard inspired me to rise early in hopes of capturing the eastern sun. The day was bright on this mid May morning during the height of the bloom. I set up on the runway just south of the wind sock whose multicolored tail hung motionless with the still cool air. Just south stood stacks of bee hives. These guests had yet to start their daily work in earnest. I stood behind them at one point and leaned carefully forward with my ear an inch from the wooden backing, I heard a low hum resonating from over 50,000 bees per hive … what an awesome sound and feeling! It is a sad sign of the times when there are insufficient numbers of bees to pollinate the orchard, which is why Nick brings in these hives during the bloom.

The sun drenched the dull colors of the hives while the blossoms exploded from the dark branches. Both the ground and sky brought about contrasting blues, yellows and greens.

59) Liberty Bloom

2009-06-15T19:13:00.004-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

Early May in the north western most corner of the orchard. Here are the Liberties, a variety that Nick has committed to growing organically. As I spend more time at the orchard I learn more about the multitude of varieties. The Liberty bears lovely yellow fruit with red stripes. It is a hardy apple and considered one of the more disease resistant apples (to learn more visit The Backyard Gardener at http://www.backyardgardener.com/plantname/pda_5036.html).

Although the sky was without clouds, the late afternoon was cool. With such a dry spring the bloom has been wonderful, though some trees are late (as with the tree on the left) … “late bloomers”. One of my favorite times to paint is 2 - 3 hours before sunset, as was this day. The late afternoon sun kissed the bark on each tree in a unique way. One of the two tress displayed a rose pink bark and the other a golden yellow. The blossoms that once had inhaling the blue tint of the sky, suddenly took on a shade of crimson. I am overwhelmed at times in how the landscape can suddenly morph from one set of hues to another, sometimes subtle and other times stark. It was challenging attempting to capture the movement of colors while time was fleeting.

The background was interesting with the tilled soil radiating warm shades of orange, dancing with the complementary blue above, and the lime green grass slicing between the upturned earth and the far away blur of trees. I labored with sections of this work, leading to over painting, though the vitality of the two Liberty trees made for a happy ending.

58) Harvest Gold

2009-06-14T23:23:00.005-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

Just a day before Halloween another warm and dry autumn day. The foliage is stunning throughout Vermont with red and orange maples or yellow birch, yet the most amazing site of the season was sitting in the orchard surrounded by what Cindy called the “Harvest Gold”. Thousands of apple trees all turned to a gold tinged with crimson, woven round blue and purple branches. Even the willows competed with warm waves of yellow and rose. The green grass seemed so vibrant with shocks of sumac red, delivering a complementary visual jab. Clouds spun between a purple and aquamarine sky.

Last year I missed this time at the orchard, I had thought I had seen every transformation of this space. As in life, I was humbled at the realization that I should never assume that I have “seen everything”, and so art was a wonderful teacher. Sitting just below the Packing House looking east I tried to capture the bounty of colors and tones. The playing of light was just as magical as the wide palette. Overwhelming and yet such a find for the last water color painting of the autumn.

57) Snow Lines

2008-11-02T00:37:00.010-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - Not For Sale

This work is out of order, painted from a picture taken two years ago the day after Christmas. Georgia and Max stop to share a scent … I often think that instead of taking the girls (Georgia and Max) for a walk I should take them for a “smell” as they constantly keep their noses to the ground.

The wind had blown much of the snow away from the still green grass, leaving the truck and tractor tracks hardened with snow and ice. These lines of snow formed wonderful patterns that swirled and cut through the picture.

Standing at the end of the runway looking north towards the southern sky just before sunset. The light above the trees amazed me with a show of primary colors (yellow to red to blue) and cast a golden glow on the trees.

56) Autumn Splash

2008-10-31T00:23:00.013-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - Sold

The last Sunday in October, an unusually warm day allowed me to find an unexpected opportunity to paint outside. The autumn colors were still bright through the oranges and yellows or maple and birch. Blurring my eyes created an interesting effect where the grass of the field looked much like water with the dead grass and tire tracks resembling shadows from the trees. On the left side of the work can be seen the northern most rows of apple trees. On the left side displays a rail fence that forms the northern border of the orchard.

I tried to paint quickly with large swaths of paint. Being comfortable with a more abstract technique, I chose not to use purple and black likes to further differentiate outlines of the trees. The large dead tree in the left upper side reminded me of a neuron cell, this dead tree along with the fence provide a hard edges to help balance the composition that has fewer borders.

55) Autumn Crates

2008-10-31T00:22:00.005-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

Middle of October painting on the run way, half way down looking east. Rows of crates had been spread out blocking the young trees from public pickers. Most of the trees were turning orange and yellow. The hard lines of the crates worked well with the flowing outlines of the trees.

54) Autumn Half Moon

2008-10-31T00:20:00.004-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $75

Early October back in the old orchard near the Gate House looking southeast. The older tree on the right came out well including the early evening light changing the purple gray bark to a rosy blue. The center of the picture turned out muddy as I tried to capture the autumn maples and the flowing willow tree sandwiched between them. As with the prior work (Elder Lady 3) I needed to leave the orchard due to darkness and return a week later. During that time the moon went from a near complete half size to its full phase. I settled for representing the moon in the way I saw it the first time, halved in a beautiful crystal clear sky.

53) Elder Lady 4

2008-10-31T00:18:00.002-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

Mid September in the eastern corner of the old orchard looking south. I was intrigued by this old tree whose form was mostly two trunks arching low to the ground. Despite her age, the smaller branches were loaded with apples. It was late in the afternoon and I painted until it was too cold and dark to continue. Four days later I returned to finish the work only to find all the apples gone (harvested).

Vines of dark and light green leaves spiraled up the main trunk, a cool pattern to paint. Despite the disappearance of the apples between sittings, I was able to capture the multitude of fruit from this elder lady.

52) Late Summer Early Evening

2008-10-31T00:14:00.004-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

My favorite time of the day is just before sunset through twilight. As the sun moved quickly down upon the Adirondacks the light shifted across the orchard with an endless spectrum of gold and pink. Sitting on the east edge of the runway looking southeast, I observed the woody elements of the work (tree trunk and tall poles) morph from gray purple to pink purple. I feverishly tried to capture the fleeting hues while combating the looming darkness. In the end my favorite part of this work is the tall trees of the background, which benefited from a fast application of the paint that I laid down anticipating the changing light.

51) Dock

2008-10-31T00:11:00.004-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $75

Late August sitting on the shore looking south on Nick and Cindy’s dock. The water was very high (more than usual). While sitting I observed the water to be a montage of blue, green and purple circles, which fascinated me more than any other aspect of the painting. The sail boat came out nice with small shapes and lines of blue representing the hull and mast. I made several mistakes with the perspective including the front lines of the dock and the shore line (the land jutting out to the left of the sail boat should have been much farther back), though I suspect the layout works just as well regardless of my lapse in capturing the reality of the picture.

50) Sumac by the Gate House

2008-10-31T00:06:00.006-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $75

Looking north late August sitting on front lawn of Tom and Katra’s house (the Gate House) at picnic table with Katra painting. The center of the work is a large stand of sumacs with apple trees to either side and in the background. Hazy rows of high clouds floated slowly over the warm summer day, soon harvest will arrive.

49) Peaches and Pears

2008-08-25T22:24:00.005-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $75

Late August near the rows of peaches and pear trees. The peaches are obvious from the tree on the right while the tall light colored trees of the background are pears. I did not realize the pear trees were as such until after packing up and walking close. Light from the midday sun created a rich dark red hue on the peach tree bark. The grass was a mesh of swirling green and yellow. For the first time in weeks there was not a cloud in the sky.

48) Shadows and Mowed Grass

2008-08-25T22:08:00.002-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

Aug 17 sitting at the north end of the run way looking west. The hanger in the background inspired me with the shadows and hanging ivy. From a distance I could only make out the rough image of ladders stacked in the center of the hanger. Later I took a break and walked close to the hanger with Georgia, I was amazed at the difference between the objects I saw from a distance and what actually was stored in the hanger (crates, old windows, rows of benches). Painting what one sees and not what one perceives is fascinating to me. As I sit and observe then commit paint to paper I begin to see shapes and shades instead of objects. This happened in several places including the burn pit of the foreground and the fence along the right side of the work. When I observe and see instead of interpreting objects the flow changes, I am present and not lost in thought (the interpretation of the objects).

Sometimes I see a place or something and say “I want to paint it”, yet I am unsure why. As I move through the painting I suddenly discover why, and that occurred here. The composition allows for movement with connecting colors and contrasting values. The red from the hanger roof curves across the upper painting, which is picked up by the barely exposed gate on the far right then back towards the center from the streaks of dirt in the burn pile. Complementing the reds are the variety of greens in addition to the oranges of the mowed grass and the blues of the sky. Remnants of branches missed from the burn jut out from the purple/red dirt and blue ash.

47) Apples and Peaches

2008-08-24T09:28:00.004-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - not for sale

August 13 in the southern part of the orchard looking north between a row of older apples and peaches. The color from both the peach and apple fruit graced the waves of deep green leaves and yellowing grass. It was late morning that bled into early afternoon with a few shadows cast from the sun overhead. Row upon row of small clouds lined up southwest to northeast in addition to a long mass of giant clouds sitting far to the north. It has been a long time since I have seen a cloudless sky.

Sitting closer to the apple tree I could capture the variation of red and green in the tree, unlike the peaches that were at a distance and were flatter in color (though later when walking through the rows of peaches I could admire the rich blending of crimson, orange and yellow). The purple branches of the apple wove back in forth between the waves of leaves that shot out in all directions, reaching for sunlight. The leaves of the peaches are very different than that of the apples, long and slender, lighter in shade. As I painted both apple and peach leaves I was reminded of the difference between the two brush strokes, the apple like quick darting and pointed dots while the peaches felt like flicking minnows across the paper. The smells of the cut grass in addition to the occasional sent from the peaches as the wind changed added another element to the time that I can only hold with memory and these few words.

46) Crates and Delivery Truck

2008-08-24T00:03:00.005-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - Sold

Looking north from the Packing Shed. The apple collection crates are stacked high in front of the delivery truck. The rain came on the first day I painted (8/8/8) forcing me to retreat and to return two days later. The second day brought with it the threat of rain too, fortunately the storm clouds stayed far to the north.

For some time I thought about painting this scene and hesitated due to the fact that painting the crates in prior works caused me to deliberate far too long in representing the stack, this time I chose to attack the crates quickly using a broad undercoating wash of all the crates then filling in the details of darker values after. The truck turned out well and my quick work with the crates benefited my capturing the truck as mid way through the work Nick needed to drive the truck away.

There is so much color that appears when I sit and observe. Not at first, gradually the reds, purples and blues make their way through the greens of grass. The reds and oranges of the earthen tracks made by truck and tractor, the blues and purples from the gravel road in the foreground. Even the rusty bumper of the truck offers a warm burgundy shade that cuts across the green grass connecting the reds from the truck lights and balancing the apples and dirt path to the left.

Each day brings patterns of new and amazing clouds that tower and billow, as they travel across the sky I try and capture their spirit and movement.

45) Homestead and Adirondacks

2008-08-23T23:55:00.004-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $75

From the deck on the back of the office looking west. Early August. Nick and Cindy’s house in the background surrounded by a variety of trees including willows and a few apples in the foreground. The clouds hung low partially obscuring the Adirondacks. I struggled with contrast for the greens.

44) Five Young Maples

2008-08-23T23:47:00.003-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $75

July 29 sitting on the runway looking north. On the left are five young maples while on the left a row of apples. The oranges are from the freshly mowed grass. There is so much green after the weeks of rain.

43) Elder Lady 3

2008-08-23T23:44:00.006-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - not for sale

Sitting in the old orchard on July 18 looking west. The angles and curves of the old trees are worth the work. I tried to capture the “sheet-like” quality of the willows in the background. The apples were the size of golf balls half red and green. As the afternoon light shifted the bark of the apple tree turned from purple blue to purple red.

(42) Burn

2008-07-06T00:01:00.011-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

July 2, 2008. One day after my frustrated attempt to recapture my first water color at the orchard, I returned to the same area looking south down the run way. In contrast to my work just 24 hours earlier, this painting felt more alive. Nick had pushed pruned branches into a pile to burn. The pile had been much larger from prior days of burning. As I started to set up Nick arrived with his tractor and moved the remaining branches into one small pile leaving behind a large patch of scorched ground and ash. The patch was rich in color reminding me of the puddle that I painted just a few weeks earlier. Purples and blues wove through the dirt and ash. Heat from the burn in addition to the sun turned the grass just beyond the borders of the burn into embracing arms of orange and yellow.

An amazing thing occurred while I contemplated how to capture the few puffs of smoke that floated upward from the smoldering leaves and branches. Suddenly from the middle of the pile an eruption of smoke billowed up and with a southern wind I was engulfed in a thick gray veil. Ash fell around me sticking to the wet paper. Then, as quick as it came, the smoke lifted showing only a pillar or smoke rising from the center of the pile. A beautiful braid of yellow and pink smoke twisted through the center of the column. What an incredible site! As the yellow and pink faded, the tight column began to spread outward into a hazy cone.

As I progressed through the painting, I realized that the rows of apples on the right side of the work looked very much like green flames leaping from the earth. What a cool analogy. To the right of the pile can be seen a row of young saplings and the Packing House, a swath of red emerging from the smoke.

It is no wonder that fire and smoke can stimulate our imagination and inspire our soul. From Apollo and Prometheus of ancient Greek times, to the Spider Anansi of the Congo, to Attar (“ashes of roses”) from ancient Persia, to the Indian practice of keeping fire pits adorned by flowers and the noble colors of the kings (Arya), to the bible “Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke” (Song of Solomon 3:6).

(41) Year Two - Day 1

2008-07-05T23:58:00.007-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $75

July 1, 2008. After one year from the first water color that I painted at the orcarhd (exactly one year to the day) I sat in a similar location looking west onto the Adirondacks, the lake and the small clearing just south of the huge Sumac stand. Moriah painting with me. As with Katra who I painted along side earlier in June, I enjoyed the conversation and company while creating.

My hope was to capture the same feeling that I experienced the prior year, which was not a good idea. As in other aspects of life, one can not truly capture the feeling of past moments. The attempt to relive this moment in time distracts from being fully present, which showed in my work. The colors became muddy as I worked to build contrast and unlike my painting a year early, this rendering was tighter and too technical. The paint seemed to plop on the page instead of flowing. Moriah’s painting jumped off the canvas in color and shape, mine sank into the paper like Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Ancient Mariner’s Albatross.

(40) Puddle

2008-07-05T23:55:00.004-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

June 7, 2008. Sitting in the organic orchard looking north following days of rain. Puddles formed in the ruts from the tractor, which I attempted to capture in this painting. The water of the puddle at first glance seemed only to show shades of brown, then gradually a variety of other colors materialized. Light orange and greens flickered on the edge of the water while slivers of blue wove around the blades of grass that pushed through the puddle’s surface. Small stones, gravel and dirt emerged as purple and blue patches.

On the right side can be seen a vanishing row of young saplings (“whips”). I enjoyed painting the tall grass on the left side of the painting and as the sun brightened so did the yellow grow throughout the space between the whips and the puddle. I used black in addition to purple to outline the water’s edge and tree borders. This was a fun work as I worked freely once the colors came to light.

(39) Willow Row

2008-07-05T23:52:00.006-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $75

June 7, 2008. Painted with Katra outside her and Tom’s house looking northwest toward the row of Willows. Surrounded by row upon row of apple trees are the majestic willows. Their grace and sweeping yellows melding with green make a wonderful subject. In the foreground are gnarly apples and a hill-like mound of compost. The smaller trees just above the compost rows are young peach trees. The conversation with Katra made the sitting go quickly.

(38) Experimental Organic Tent

2008-05-30T00:33:00.004-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

May 17, 2008. Sitting in the organic section of the orchard overlooking an experimental project to protect trees from insects. The wooden frame is draped with special cloth that will enclose the trees as opposed to spraying with pesticides. On each side are rows of newly planted saplings (“whips”). Contrast was important with the folds of the cloth, the shaded grass and background trees.

(37) Curly Willow and Bloom

2008-05-30T00:29:00.005-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $75

May 15, 2008, sitting by the office looking west. Three young curly willows overlook the orchard, lake and mountains just north of the office. In the background is the orchard in bloom. The bloom is an amazing time where the visual of what seems like endless blossoms competes with the sweet aroma of future fruit. While sitting in the orchard off and on over the previous several days, I deliberated on how to capture the white bloom with water colors. Capturing the many shades of white was daunting. When posing this dilemma to Cindy, she suggested doing so in an abstracted way, so, I chose to portray the multitude of white blossoms as light blue clusters.

(36) Bee Hives 2

2008-05-18T22:48:00.004-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - not for sale

Mid day just south of the Packing House on May 13th, 2008. The visiting bees (see Bee Hives 1) were hard at work pollinating the orchard in full bloom. The swarm was log jammed in front of each box as there was only one entrance (the small black holes). I tried to capture this swarm using tiny orange dots to represent the bees. My attempt was feeble and could not capture the sheer number of bees (multiply the painted dots ten-fold for a more accurate representation of the bee cloud).

(35) Bee Hives 1

2008-05-18T22:46:00.003-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor and graphite on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

Late afternoon on May 12th I sat up in the middle of the bloom near a bee stand. Due to a lack of native bees, Nick must truck in hives from Middlebury. The hives are stacked in three strategic areas around the orchard, this one was almost in the geographic center of the orchard.

I forgot my water color paint palette creating an anxious moment. Instead I sketched an outline of the painting and completed the work from memory at home. What started out as a mistake (forgetting my palette) turned out to be an opportunity to experiment with pencil and paint.

The view is looking south. A north wind blew over my head and created a natural highway for the bees as they flew back to the hives. It was amazing to have them fly so fast over head, a constant stream of traffic zooming back as their work day ended. The light was fading and I tried to capture the dusk with my pencil. During my sitting a jet flew across the sky leaving a gray trail that split the blue and the sun, a red tailed hawk circled occasionally - I captured both the jet trail and the hawk, a cool combination.

(33) In the Pink

2008-05-18T22:44:00.003-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

The buds just opening on May 9. As the buds swell to open they show a little red color at the tip, hence the “pink”. This short time preceding the bloom is called “In the Pink”. The view is looking west from the run way about mid way down the run way. The Adirondacks and Lake Champlain can be seen through the branches. I decided to take Georgia with me, tying her to the leash, which she did not like. With her surgery recovery she cannot run loose. She tried to be patient, though in the end I needed to pull up stakes and finish the painting at the house.

(33) Elder Lady 2

2008-05-18T22:40:00.002-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

May 2, 2008. Nick brought me out to the oldest part of the orchard just south of his and Cindy’s house. He estimated that these few trees will be 100 years old in 2010. This estimate was determined by counting the rings of a fallen tree from the same section. The trees were once numerous, now there is just a hand full in the orchard. Compared to the trees in other sections, these are huge with at least four major trunk sections.

The branches were still just sprouting leaves and the bark gave a reddish glow in the late afternoon sun. I did struggle to capture the light and contrast. In the background is the Gate House (home of Tom and Katra).

(32) Babies

2008-05-18T22:38:00.003-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $75

May 1^st around noon. A row of new trees just planted in the organic section. These are called “whips” as the new branches are pruned to force new growth into the root system … with no branches they resemble a whip. According to Nick each whip is 2-3 years old.

The view is facing southwest. I struggled laying down the paint with too much of my head (being too technical) in the painting and not enough feeling. Continued to experiment with larger areas of wash and few lines to represent the brush and trees of the background, though sometimes I felt the areas of wash were too expansive or that I used too many lines in the center of the background.

I was visited by several hopping insects and let them explore the canvas, another sign of spring. Did not bring Georgia as she is still recovering from her knee surgery, which may be one reason why I was not as present with my work at the time (many thoughts of Georgia being back at home, especially as she was with me most of the time last year).

(31) First Leaves

2008-04-30T23:28:00.010-04:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

Late April, 2008. I am fascinated in how the mind interprets images. From the outer world (visual environment or what we see) our images cross each retina (if we have two eyes) then stream through nerves to the geniculate region of the brain and finally reach the primary visual cortex towards the back of the brain (see "Eye, Brain, and Vision" - http://hubel.med.harvard.edu/b14.htm). What happens when the images reach the cortex? Why is it that what we see is not what we comprehend? All last year I saw branches, twigs, and leaves flanking many of the images I painted, which caused me a great deal of anxiety. How do I paint such a mesh of objects? I balked at painting images that seemed like so much work and impossible to represent. My eyes took in the images from the outer world and my mind saw only chaos.

Then I came upon a painting, actually a reprint of a painting, by Monet “The Reader” (http://www.canvaz.com/gallery/748.htm) which hung above a bathroom sink in a building where I was teaching a one day class. While washing my hands at the sink, I began to examine the painting. I saw the main subject of the painting (a young girl with a furled dress) sitting against a thicket of brush and branches. Suddenly I realized that what I saw was actually a wash of color (gray, green and brown) with well painted lines to represent the branches. It suddenly made sense to me. What I saw and what I interpreted was not the same. My retinas saw a wash of color with angled lines while back in the cortex my experiences said "thickets of trees". At a cognitive level I knew this, however, my fears kept me from relaxing and see the “washes of color” from the trees.

With this new interpretation of my outer world I sat down later that day (April 25, 2008) in the orchard, facing west just south and west of the runway, and painted an apple tree with just a week’s worth of leaf growth showing. In the background are the trees and young growth of spring with only a flush of foliage. I applied the washes of burnt sienna and gray with a few strokes to represent the trunks and branches. The sky was streaked with dark blue and gray clouds. Mid way through the painting a small triangular rainbow appeared just above the tree, which I desperately attempted to capture. I found enjoyment swirling the paint as I represented the twisting bark of the apple tree. And yet it was the new found freedom in representing the wooded background with broad swaths of color that made the painting for me ... I imagined my cortex smiling.

(30) Hay and Foliage 2

2007-12-20T20:00:00.007-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

18 x 24 oil on Bristol paper - $400

Late October sitting in the north east corner looking north. The foliage was turning including the red of the sumac. Paths were cut through the tall grass allowing for ease of access by pickers. While painting I heard a variety of voices from the trees, all pickers from the public searching for apples towards the end of the harvest. The voices were indistinguishable (male, female, adult and child) and melded together much like the colors of the trees. Despite the dark clouds in the northern skies, a pale yellow light was cast across the grass (short and tall).
The oil allowed me to play with a variety of textures. The trees of the background and sky being flat, the tall grass (hay) thick curving vertical lines and the grass of the foreground small patches and dots of paint.

The tall hay appears to my imagination as the top of a huge brush stuck in the ground handle first with only the very tip of the bristles exposed. Even though the water color is lighter in tones, my memory of the day was much darker, the oil represents this cool cloudy autumn afternoon more as I remember it.

(29) Hay and Foliage 1

2007-12-20T19:58:00.001-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

Middle of October sitting in the corner of the orchard just north of Nick and Cindy’s house facing north. More foliage color, still less than expected for the time of year. Clouds and field of tall grass create a swirl (an “S” movement). Max and Georgia with me, not very patient as in the past causing spills of water jars and much flailing of my arms to protect the paint area, which caused quick work that I finished later at home. In the end the outcome was good including the complimentary colors of purple and yellow, red and green.

(28) October Light

2007-12-20T19:56:00.002-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

Early October on a Saturday morning in the corner of the orchard just north of Cindy and Nick’s house looking west. In the lower right corner can be seen an opening in the trees looking onto the field that borders the neighbors property. Bright yellow light with shades of orange in the tall trees. Slight hints of red in the sumac.

(27) Hayfield and Hanger

2007-12-20T19:53:00.001-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

October 3rd mid morning. Looking northwest from the tree line just west of the runway. First hints of foliage color, which seemed late in the year compared to past seasons. Fields of tall grass were turning quickly from yellow to brown. The hanger was good. Tried to capture the little “window” between the hanger and the trees of the lake. Lots of visitors came by while painting including apple pickers, orchard workers, and a horse back rider from a nearby stable. Unusually warm for the time of year.

(26) Apple Crates

2007-12-20T19:52:00.002-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

Mid September, late morning. A quick work of apple collection crates just north of the Packing House. Harvest was well under way with pickers using these crates to collect apples. I was in a hurry to keep an appointment with Nick with first lesson on making cider donuts at noon. The limited time forced me to quickly lay down paint with broad areas of wash and the use of purple lines to show forms.

(25) Organic Trees and Adirondacks

2007-12-20T19:49:00.001-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $75

Mid September sitting in organic section looking west towards the Adirondacks. Not my best effort, apple tree on the right too stiff (labored far too long here). The sky came out well, just laid down paint here. The tall brown/orange grass is too stiff and not flowing as I had hoped.

(24) Old Orchard Looking North

2007-12-20T19:48:00.002-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

Early September sitting in old orchard, south eastern corner, looking north. A better job with contrast. I like the distant rows of trees, though a muddy transition in the middle of the work. The yellow light on the trees and grass continues to amaze me. Slight hints of orange and red appear in the grass.

(23) Food Fest Tent

2007-12-20T19:46:00.001-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

September 9. Set up just south of the Packing House and office looking north onto the tent placed between the two buildings. This tent was temporary and in anticipation of the Food Fest (and other harvest festivals at the orchard). Again, I had to work to bring in dark colors. Struggled with the “balled trees” on the left of the road. The tent and tractor came out well. Tried hard to work the negative space of the tent. The office is hidden behind the “balled trees” and chose to use negative white space between the trees instead of painting the dark colors of the office building, which would have washed out the leaves of the trees.

I had fun painting the swirling clouds and the picnic tables in the dark space of the inner tent was a cool find. The light of the late afternoon was magical and I failed to capture the gold and orange glow or the radiance of the leaves as the sun approached a summer dusk. This time of day and year is one of my favorites, the hours of pre dusk and dusk.

(22) Hayfield Ridge

2007-12-20T19:45:00.002-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on 300 pound cold press paper - $125

September 6, early morning. Sitting in the hayfield at the intersection of paths close to the sumac stand by the lake. This was the first painting using watercolor paper instead of drawing paper (a gift from Cindy). The paint absorbs and moves differently than on the drawing paper. At first I was timid with the changes, however, I quickly found that I was able to place more paint on the paper and therefore increase the contrast.

I was enchanted with the movement of the paths through the tall grass. The sound of the wind through the grass was constant and as amazing as the visual element of the field.

(21) September First

2007-12-20T19:43:00.001-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on paper - $75

Mid runway looking south to Nick and Cindy’s house (building in the background is the roof of their barn). First hints of autumn in young tree (red tinged leaves) and shades of yellow in trees on right side of work. As I sat the colors became more and more vibrant. The field of tall grass had amazing variations of yellow and green. This yellow contrasted with the purple from the sky, mountains and winter cuttings (right lower corner). Continued to include black with purple to increase contrast and outlines.

(20) Almost Harvest

2007-12-20T19:41:00.002-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on paper - not for sale

End of August, late afternoon. Two trees just north of the willows that run parallel with the driveway to Nick and Cindy’s house. I sat in the shade of a neighboring apple tree to hide from the heat of the sun.

The tree trunks came out well, for a change, with greater contrast and expression. The apples reminded me of stellar constellations while the yellow wash over the leaves worked to capture the light of the sun. Used a little black for a change instead of just purple to outline elements of the work.

(19) Two Poles

2007-12-20T19:39:00.002-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on paper - not for sale

Late August. Two poles by the runway just north of the Packing House. The poles raise guide wires high enough for tractors to pass from row to row. The guide wires support young trees.

I struggled with contrast. The poles break up the horizontal lines of the tree tops, Packing House and clouds. I was so amazed at how young trees can bear fruit, regardless of the age of a tree they continue to focus on the continuation of life.

(18) Elder Lady

2007-12-20T19:37:00.001-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on paper - $75

August 22nd early morning. One of the few old trees in the orchard’s south east corner. While painting I was visited by Cindy riding Mickee along with Max. I left my painting and walked to talk with her, while returning to the painting I noticed something on my right shoulder, a Praying Mantis. This was the first time I saw a mantis for many years. She stayed with me resting on my knee while I painted for over a half hour while I continued to paint.

I tried to capture the vibrant patterns of leaves, which seemed more like an attempt at Pointallism, though not a conscious attempt at the time. The tree trunk is too “worked” and stiff compared to the rest of the painting. The tiny brown blotch below the orange tree in the background is Mickee before Cindy took him from pasture to ride.

While I sat painting this Elder Lady, I thought about her curves and twists. As she aged the branches turned to the sun including curves from years of pruning compared to the young tree, which is straight. The older tree has wonderful twists and turns, a lesson for my body as it ages.

(17) Moriah and Pat's Garden

2007-12-20T19:36:00.001-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on paper - NFS

August 20^th. Sitting by Moriah (Cindy and Nick’s daughter) and Pat’s vegetable garden nestled by a sumac stand near the path to the lake. I was drawn to the bright red-orange blossoms of the peas, which are lost in the sumac stand.

(16) August Rows

2007-12-20T19:34:00.001-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on paper - $75

August 15^th, early morning. Looking north towards Nick and Cindy’s house, far in the background are the willows that run parallel with the driveway. I struggled to capture the early morning sun light that kept changing as the sun and clouds moved. This struggle to paint shadows with contrast became muddy.

(15) Hanger

2007-12-20T19:32:00.001-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on paper - $75

Early August. Sitting just west of the hanger looking at the vine covered wall that faces the lake. This was an opportunity for me to paint what I saw and not what I perceived. Most of the hanger shape is obscured by the vines, my mind wanted to paint the lines of the walls under the vines while I worked to only paint what I saw.

Max and Georgia were with me, they were not so patient and forced me to hurry as they ran circles around my pad and materials. There was a struggle in capturing the vines as they had little definition …one large mass of green, yellow and purple. I love the shape of the hanger, a curve tilted to one side while embracing the climbing vines.

(14) August 10th Apples

2007-12-20T19:31:00.002-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on paper - $75

Early August. The apples were just turning from green and red to mostly red. Trees in the background are peaches, the tall dark trees on the right is a huge sumac stand. The black curve at the base of the tree is an irrigation hose used to water the trees. The breeze created a little dance with the branches, which I tried to capture.

(13) Shore 1

2007-12-20T19:30:00.002-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on paper - $75

Early August. On the beach looking up the shore at the lean-to, canoe, kayaks, and sail boat. I spent over two hours working on this piece. Suddenly I heard a rumble to my left (over the lake) and turning saw very dark clouds racing northwest up the Adirondacks and New York side of the lake. I was so focused that I did not notice the clear sky turn to storm. Barely made it back to the car before the downpour. The wooded area is an abstract collection of greens and yellows.

(12) Balled Trees

2007-12-20T19:28:00.001-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on paper - $75

July 31^st. The young trees in the back ground are “balled” – the roots are wrapped in burlap with rope in preparation for sale. The large oak in the background stand just west of the office. It was mid morning and hot, Georgia is in the painting (small black blotch in grass on right side, her head jutting from the tall grass as she rests near an apple tree). Was tired and muddled the flowers in the grass.

(11) Honey Crisps

2007-12-20T19:26:00.001-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on paper - $75

July 30^th. Mid summer growth. At first my attention was drawn to the bright apples that seemed out of proportion to the trees. As I painted I began to “dot” the leaves in a more abstract way, which then led to my eye moving more towards the grass. The grass slowly became flowing lines as my focus moved from thought to feeling of what I saw. This led to the decision of splashing yellow across the grass and trees. On reflection I suddenly realized that this experience was of great importance with my thought being less important than my feelings. As with my earlier works, I became lost in time, however, I honored my feelings and not just what I observed.

(10) Homestead and Willows

2007-12-20T19:25:00.003-05:00

11 x 14” Watercolor on Paper - Not for Sale

18 X 24" Oil on Canvas - Not For Sale

Mid July. Nick and Cindy’s home with row of willows along the drive leading to their house. This was an opportunity to lay down large swaths of color then use purple lines to bring out form (willows and clouds). The apple tree in the right foreground shows early fruit.

Used small and long strokes with the oil version to create motion and contrast. I expanded on the left sided apple tree from the water color so as to frame the work … since the water color was made the tree was cut down. The oil is warmer with more reds, oranges and yellows throughout the foreground grass and willows.

(9) Apple Wagon

2007-12-20T19:19:00.009-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on paper - $125

18 x 24” oil on paper - sold

Mid July. Apple selling wagon flanked by farming equipment just north of the Packing House. Worked hard at contrast. More storm clouds over the lake and Adirondacks. The apple trees were done quickly (from the fear of the pending storm) and therefore more abstractly than prior works.

The oil was both challenging and at times exciting. I struggled with how dark to make the sky. The watercolor was much lighter than my memory recalled. My first attempts were to create an almost black lower sky extending the heavy values from the cart. Just before completing the oil I began applying small strokes of light and medium blue across the dark clouds which still gave the suggestion of the on-coming storm and was lighter than the cart and shadows of the box.

I decided to use the pointillism effect for the grass and tractor ruts. The tall grass appears to push out of tiny holes where the dots of paint might have been. The trees are abstract in the form of bulky objects versus the more realistic mass of long spindly branches. I like the counterbalance of colors. The broad upper half of the painting is a variety of blues while across the middle of the painting (actually just a little below the median) are several objects of orange or reddish orange. The purple and yellow mix of dots add more complementary colors to the composition.

I found a great deal of visual movement with this work. Each end of the cart forms a border of a “V” that draws the eye towards either the orange/red fuel tank or the orange/yellow cart to the right. The ruts in the ground swirl and hopefully bring the gaze back towards the sides then up again.

(8) Adirondacks and Young Willow Frame

2007-12-20T19:13:00.001-05:00

14 x 11” watercolor on paper - $75

Mid July. Set up next to the office looking west onto Lake Champlain. Two young curly willows served as a frame for the picture. Early storm clouds appear over the mountains. The purple of the road in the foreground and mountains balance the light yellow shades.

(7) Young Trees, Old Oak

2007-12-20T19:06:00.001-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on paper - $75

Mid July. Sitting just south of the shop on the small ridge looking north. Young apple trees in the foreground, in the background are oaks (one with the tree house, hidden in the branches). Was frustrated with the young trees. Fell in love with the clouds. Apples and background trees look good, loose and quick.

(6) Packing House Looking North

2007-12-13T23:19:00.001-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on paper - $75

Mid July. Sitting in the shade under the cherry trees looking north. The red of the warehouse was brighter than the prior works. I still couldn’t seem to paint the trees without overworking them, though the travelled portion of the grass (foreground) came out agreeably. My life is like my painting, tight and controlled. I want the work to be freer and less restricted, which is a struggle.

(5) Packing House Looking South

2007-12-12T22:43:00.002-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on paper - Not For Sale

Mid July, sitting on the runway looking southward at the Packing House. I like this work. More contrast with the trees would help. The purple and blue boxes are apple crates awaiting the harvest, they look good (free and quick painting). The orange truck did not end up the way I wanted while the yellow wash on the road turned out to be a nice effect. When I struggle with trees I used the purple lines and yellow wash to revive them … great mistakes turned around.

(4) Packing House East View

2007-12-12T22:38:00.006-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on paper - $75

18 x 24” oil on paper - not for sale

Mid July, the first painting that includes the Packing House. I sat just north of the willow row with my back to the lake. A large swath of red against the varieties of green is catching. I tried to work the trees less (still a struggle) and was content with the willow. It was a hot day and finding a spot in the shade was one reason for this location. The sun late in the afternoon lit up the Warehouse while casting a dark shadow under the willow. I was too timid with the intensity of the red. My first attempt to paint the rows of apple trees.

The oil builds on the swirls of warm and cool colors in the grass and trees adding to the circular effect countering the hard lines of the red Packing House. The pink tint in the clouds and fountain “look” of the willow tree offer a different life compared to the water color.

(3) Cherry Trees

2007-12-12T22:10:00.002-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on paper - NFS

18 x 24” oil on paper - NFS

Mid July and the cherries were in abundance. I became overwhelmed trying to paint the endless red dots ... after much labor gave in to a depiction of the fruit. The base of each tree is surrounded with heavy plastic mesh to protect against girdling by small animals that chew away the bark.

As the cherry trees were too dense, I did not use the purple line, however, the apple trees in the background benefited from the outlining. I like the apple trees in this picture the most, they have simplicity and character, the "ladies" as Nick would call them seem to be ready to spring into dance. I used a yellow wash to bring out the sun light in the trees, it worked well.

The oil version includes much darker colors, especially the shade from the trees. I worked far too long in this piece, especially the leaves of the cherry trees. Unlike the water color that used white space to bring out the leaves of the cherry trees, the oil did not need this. The lack of white allowed a blending of the green shades of the cherry, apple and trees of the far background (which was much more of a reality than the water color). Here I found myself using more senses than just my eyes … “children, like animals, use all their senses to discover the world. Then artists come along and discover it the same way all over again.” Eudora Welty.

(2) Tall Grass and Winter Cuttings

2007-12-12T21:44:00.005-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on paper - $75

18 x 24” oil on paper -sold

Early July. The tall grass only partially obscures the winter cuttings (pruned apple branches). I sat in the mowed path providing a frame to either side of the picture. The flowing lines of the grass wind through the middle of the painting. One reason for this spot was the vibrant contrast between the purple (cuttings) and the yellows (the grass and sun cast light on the trees). I over did the trees, though the purple and blue lines help to define the shapes, especially the clouds.

The explosion from the grass and cuttings work well.
The oil version included an intentional technique of using small dots (Pointillism) though unlike true Pointillism that uses specifically primary colors, I used a variety of colors in the foreground path. This choice was to create a shimmering effect in the shorter grass.

As the trees evolved in this oil, I was reminded of Cezanne (though I will not dare to compare my work to his) and his ability to marry nature with geometric shapes. At the Paul Cezanne Virtual Museum he is quoted as saying:

“… treat nature by means of the cylinder, the sphere, the cone, everything brought into proper perspective so that each side of an object or a plane is directed towards a central point. Lines parallel to the horizon give breadth ... lines perpendicular to this horizon give depth. But nature for us men [and women] is more depth than surface, whence the need to introduce into our light vibrations, represented by the reds and yellows, a sufficient amount of blueness to give the feel of air.”

(1) New Eyes - Day One

2007-12-09T23:52:00.004-05:00

11 x 14” watercolor on paper - NFS

18 x 24” oil on paper - NFS

This was the first day of my unemployment, July 2, 2007. As was such, I made the intention to do something for myself. This "something" meant painting at the Shelburne Orchard owned by Nick and Cindy Cowles.Walking for some time with my dog Georgia during the mid morning, I finally found a spot just off the orchard's "runway" (airplane landing strip) looking westward towards Lake Champlain.

It had been some time since I attempted to paint "en plein aire". I found myself stuck on the yellows of the grass (short and tall). Trying to paint quickly I laid the paint down in a loose fashion, which was challenging as I tend to "think" in my work. The mountains benefited from the quick work, however, the trees were overworked while I found the values bleeding into each other. This value problem was solved by using purple lines to define the trees, this "drawing with the paint" technique was new for me - a great accident/mistake. This "purple line" led to a liberation in that I could paint more freely and quickly without the fear of color contrast and values.

The movement of color was purposeful with an "S" of blue/purple mountains sweeping across the top and then curving downward and through the lower half of the "S" via the path. The shades of yellow and red on the ground and grass became more and more vivid as I sat.Instead of that Monday being marked by my not working, a challenging memory, I look back in a happy way ... new life, new eyes, a new day.

The second image is my first attempt at converting a water color to an oil based version. I could play with the colors and express the image in different ways with oils. The water color provided a quick way to capture what I "saw" at the moment and was intimate in being "there", as opposed to the oil where I set up at home and worked for over a week.

I expanded the colors of the mountains to include green and purple while I tried to solidify the trees, though they are still dark without drastic contrasts of green (as they were at the time of the painting). The whimsy of the tree shapes was purposeful, more from feeling than observation.