So last week was spent studying nothing but values and shapes and I will say it was a like a breath of fresh air that I really needed. Not only did the week give me a new perspective and awareness of values, it also allowed for some little peaks of spring.
I started Day 118 beside the small pond at my friend Jean's. We have had a lot of rain lately and so the water was muddy. The combination of the light reflecting on the tree trucks as well as the shadows on the pond made for a great study.
Day 119 was another beautiful sunny day. The morning light was perfect and the trees have that rosy tint that happens just before the new leaves form. I love this old barn at my neighbor's and the way the shadows played across the grass. There is even a tinge of green starting to appear on some of the oaks. I'm excited... to say the least.
Days 120 and 121 for lack of a better explanation, depicted the same scene. That's okay if one is in the sun and one is a complete grey day isn't it? These Bradford pears are really putting on a show this year and I know with the stormy weather we are having, it could be short lived so I had to study them while I could. Day 120 was a grey day, a nice little downpour even made an appearance while I was painting, clarifying the saying "oil and water don't mix"!
Day 121 brought a sunny day (or at least partly) and I was able to study the cast light on the same pear trees. White blossoms are definitely a challenge, because like I tell my students, white is never white.
Day 122 took me to my friend Jill's yard. Jill has been inviting me to her place to paint and I finally got the chance to stop by. Her house sits on a lovely pond with cypress trees and woods all around and there are a multitude of painting opportunities. I walked around and thought about several sites, but I couldn't get the first thing I noticed when I pulled up to Jill's house. I have a thing about trees and this live oak was amazing. The shape of the trunk, the color of the moss, the light here and there, I couldn't wait to paint it. I can promise I will be painting it again too!
Day 123 brought yet another study of trees. These were on the backside of the farm as the sun was coming up behind them. The sun was warm and the birds were as excited see these signs of spring as I was. Even though we didn't have a lot of snow, it has still been a hard winter and I am glad to be on the other side of it!
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