When we arrived at this tranquil spot, the early morning light was very cool in color, but as the sun began to rise from the horizon, it shone this beautiful warm light that shimmered on the water’s surface and cast its hope of what was to come from the brand new day. I remember the peacefulness I felt in that moment, and a sense that anything was possible. In Aqua Dreams, by showing the contrast in the cool aqua/blues in the foreground waters against the warm golden glow on the distant pond’s edge, I wanted to share that feeling of hope and promise communicated by nature.
You walk down a path sheltered by autumn drenched trees, intrigued by the light flowing through the leaves and branches, casting shadows, colors changing with each gentle breeze, sunlight cascading down your pathway. Peaceful, tranquil, this painting flows around the canvas capturing the memory of autumn: lush crisp colors, crunchy leaves and a walk through the woods Walt Whitman would have envied.
Shimmering colors of autumn: Aspen trees quiver, their light graceful leaves tremble and quake, silver and gold, silver and gold with each light breeze.
There is the quiet energy of change coming and vibrant color charges the woods. Crisp fall mountain air, clean bright skies overhead, a band of slender straight trucks cut bright strokes of white against a dazzling tumble of green, crimson and gold.
In this painting I wanted you to feel that child-like wonder of staring up in into the treetops and the heavens above. Choosing vibrant, cheerful yellows contrasted against a crystal blue sky and arranging the aspens in a circular pattern heightened by thick, curving paint strokes, both add to that joyful, playful feeling of hope and discovery.
Gentle hill and valley give way to a view triumphant; a view of steep, purple mountains crusted with snow, the soft morning light diffuses across the valley. A litany of lights and darks, greens and golds cross hatch the foothills below. White barked Aspens, straight and narrow guard the riot of color beneath them as a golden promontory rises up in the east. Tranquility and joy abound, a sense of peace and serenity flows from this one mystical moment captured forever.
To see my aspen paintings and more of my contemporary landscape oil paintings, stop by my booth at the Saint Charles Fine Art Show this weekend in the Chicago suburb of St. Charles. See dtown.org/events/fine_art_show.asp for details.