Grateful Notices: Spring Verticals, oil on canvas, 48 x 30 inches

Exhibited: Bill Hester Fine Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico My thanks to the collector of this oil.

Forests are full of possibilities and primarily for me, a place of serenity and color. I set out to do a calming, wooded spot with a variety of colors. It started out in aqua, pink, and grey but the piece lacked a living presence…

So changing my mind, I allowed the fun to begin. The lacey foliage was set against a new grouping of cooler colors, each arrayed to add depth and a ‘living’ glow to the background. It was a simple idea but it took a few months to bring it into balance. After numerous trials, a bright, yellow-green area was added to the right, setting up a brighter contrast and at last, bringing the oil to life.

The forest is simplified, but it contains all that a forest requires and with just enough depth for an atmosphere of luminous colors in the background, creating a calming space.