“Aspen Glow” – 48″ x 48″ oil and wax on canvas diptych
Years ago an artist friend told me that she always puts a sun in every painting. At the time, I thought she was putting an unnecessary limitation on her work. Sometimes a sun just wouldn’t work in the composition. I made up my mind that I would never do that – have an “always” in my work.
I know a lot of artists have their favorite themes and paint them in various ways. It is usually very interesting to see how they vary their interpretations of that theme, but I’ve seldom seen a repetition of just one element.
ASPEN TREE PAINTERS
I have noticed several artists concentrate on painting only aspen trees. I can understand their fascination with the subject because they are fun to paint. I got so fascinated with them that I installed two small aspen tree trunks under my skylight for inspiration.
The problem with aspen trees is that their trunks are so tall that the foliage would be about two feet past the top of most paintings unless only vertical formats were used. I’m sure that is why there are so many paintings of just the lower trunks.
INTRODUCING OTHER FOLIAGE
I solved the composition problem for myself by painting vine maple trees at the base of the aspen trees to add foliage I’ve been pleased with this solution and then I realized that although I don’t have an “always” in my work, I definitely have developed a “frequently.”
The diptych above is one of the new paintings that will be in one of my September shows at the Lawrence Galleries in Salishan and Sheridan, Oregon. Several paintings will include vine maple trees.
