Postcards from Idaho #4

"Apple Tree in the Lane"
8"x6" oil on panel
$100
Available

This apple tree is from a volunteer seed, planting itself amidst a forest of tall cedars, pines and fir. For years it really struggled to reach the sunlight, but managed to stretch itself up sufficiently to get what it needed, and was still able to produce a load of apples for the deer in our woods. Now we have cleared out some of the trees around it and it has more light, and has been pruned into a more shapely tree, but I don't know that it thrives the better for it. Still it makes a beautiful site reaching it's arms high in the light.

"Schnebly Hill"

"Schnebly Hill"

9"x12" oil on panel


This is one of my plein air class paintings-- Sedona Red Rocks once again. I finished it up in my studio. I feel I'm getting into a color rut. My current intention in my landscape paintings is to: 1) simplify shapes;2) expand color choices and 3)intensify colors--not getting what I'm shooting for. Persistence, Persistence, Persistence.

"Painter at Schnebly Hill"

"Painter at Schnebly Hill"
8"x6"oil on panel
sold

This painting is kind of a compilation from a plein air study and a photo. A couple of weeks ago when the wind was so bad at our plein air class in Sedona, I used the time to get a bunch of photo references.

"Indian Gardens"

"Indian Gardens"
8"x10" oil on panel

Today we painted at Indian Gardens in Oak Creek Canyon for my plein air class. What a perfect day and beautiful place to paint. No wind, no rain, not too hot, no bugs--an ideal plein air painting day. I'm getting a little faster, and simplifying my subject more. This is not a finished painting, but what I was able to complete in a 90 minute timeframe. At least this one is suitable to post. I'm pretty happy with the way it came out. I did another as well--but I'm not ready to show it.