The Process:
Valley Light | 2025
I was drawn to the feeling of the evening light gently hugging these country hills, casting long shadows over the open fields. In this calm moment, the land feels unhurried - a quiet reminder of the warmth and stillness found in the simplest landscapes.
After a stain of burnt sienna all over the canvas, and an initial block-in of the major shapes is established, starting with the darks. Then, the sky is blocked in and clouds are added, working from dark to light.
The foreground trees are blocked in, but at this stage I feel that something still does not make sense with the composition. I continue working on the long shadows, following the curves of the landscape.
I reach a point in the painting where I set it aside for several weeks, then come back with a fresh perspective. I notice that one of the foreground trees was placed directly in the lower middle of the painting, which was throwing off the composition. I decide to remove the tree and place the emphasis on the long shadows. The painting is complete!