This painting took a little longer than originally anticipated. The actual painting time was not that long, but the image shown is not the original. In the first attempt, the blue "lakes" area was masked out with fluid so that I could wash in the greens in a flowing, smooth motion. Good idea, but the execution, or specifically, the masks, failed. They leaked and no amount of "washing out" could save the painting. So I started over, and this version is actually stronger than the first one.
This is an image that I came upon while driving through Coeur d'Alene, Idaho on the way back from Missoula, MT. Lake Coeur d'Alene is beautiful, and I imagined the lake at sunset, with the water itself in shadow. I started with a basic exercise in warm vs. cool, but to counter the color theory that warm colors advance and cool colors recede, I placed the warm in the background so that would come forward, and cool in the foreground for the opposite, to create some visual tension. All in all, I am always interested in creating an overall unified surface that is flat ( no overall perception of depth of field) yet energized.
The motion and flow of the colors are quite satisfying, and I can't wait to get started on something new, influenced by my recent trip to Maui. The natural beauty of Hawaii, while stimulating, is quite a challenge.
