the pine tree

After much time spent painting with acrylics, oil paint beckons.  I have a couple large acrylic flower paintings that need finishing — and they will not be neglected.  But I long to smell the linseed oil again too.  So I’ve pulled the pine tree from the stacks and have been getting ready to work on it further.  Here it is pictured with a couple of preparatory drawings.

And I have built a picture frame for the dark flowers seen on the right.  It’s getting ready to go on exhibit at the Art League in Alexandria, Virginia.

A busy time.

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pine tree drawing

I’ve pulled a 30 x 40 inch painting of a pine tree out of the rack.  I began it a while back but I’m ready to finish it now.

Made this drawing above to sort out some questions I have about the top of the tree.  The drawing measures 24 x 18 inches so the image is just a bit smaller than the related section of the painting.

The pine tree is an oil painting so I’ll be switching gears from acrylic to oil.  The studio will soon be filled with the wonderful aroma of linseed oil.  Soon!

thinking is the beginning of doing

 

Idle moment waiting in the car in the rain. I drew a little tree sketch in my pocket notebook.  It was something to do.  I like trees, love observing them in all kinds of weather.  Drawing the tree was helping to keep me awake.  It can be difficult staying alert during long periods of rain.  Letting my eyes wander among the beautiful shapes made by the boughs of the tree was a pleasant venture.

It relates to other projects — even to other kinds of trees.  I have a painting currently on hold that the little sketch helps me think about.  I do paintings in waves of activity.  Usually I start something, take it along a certain degree, then I put it aside.  For me the interlude of separation appears to be a necessary part of the process of completing the picture.  I used to chide myself for not finishing things.  I didn’t realize that I needed the passage of respite from the image. I finish the pictures, but it takes longer than I had supposed. Now that I know this, I have a whole different relationship to the task.