Patterns at the Lake
Oil on canvas, 30 x 30 inches
In the studio
$4400 framed
 
About this oil:
I first started this oil painting more than ten years ago. Back then, the canvas was filled edge to edge with a dense forest of yellow trees and a single hill that filled everything behind it. After many studio sessions, I knew something wasn’t quite right, so I set it aside, thinking I’d return to it “another day."
 
That that day arrived last January as I was going through a rack of unfinished canvases. The moment I pulled this one out, I was immediately drawn again to the glowing yellow trees but I could see why I had stopped: the big hill behind them was dull and flat and the painting didn’t have the depth or atmosphere I wanted.
 
Returning it to the easel, the solution came quickly. I opened up the background by painting over the original hill with a luminous sky and the entire piece shifted in mood. The trees suddenly lit up even more against that glowing backdrop, so I went further, on the luminosity, adding a lake and far-off hills to create a sense of distance and calm.
From there, the painting became a pleasure to work on. I spent more time developing the foliage, layering and combining color in a more expressive, confident way than I would have years ago.
 
Stepping away for so long gave me fresh eyes and a new eloquence. This finished work reflects both the patience of time and the joy of returning to an old idea with renewed energy, an inviting landscape that feels both familiar and unexpectedly radiant.