I believe that the painting can be considered complete at this point.
I was able to work on leaves on the trees both Monday night and Wednesday night for a little while. When I sat down this morning I saw there were a few, last little touch up bits here and there that I could do before I went to work.
Tonight I got a chance to shoot it. I know that I can continue to find little things to work on but I’m trying to teach myself to just stop.
This was an interesting painting to do because working this large is new territory for me. Oh, I know, I have done murals but that’s a whole different venue. So, that being said, it was kind of fun. I have gotten used to reaching for small canvases that I know people can find room for in their homes, but working large is so fun! Who knows, maybe I just need to paint for myself and stop worrying about whether they can be integrated into someone’s home.
Part of the motivation for this picture was my love of the Hudson river school, and the luminists who tended to paint large canvases of bold places in nature where mankind is a very, very small element. I feel humbled when I’m out in the woods or when we travel and I see vistas of mountains and quick rivers and cool woods.
I hope you enjoyed following the process with this one. I have sure enjoyed painting it. Don’t hesitate to tell me what you think…it’s how I grow.
Kelly E. James 