I love doing commissions that capture a specific time and place for the individual I am painting for because I know they will look at it when it is finished and it will take them back into a special memory and place. I'm so glad to be able to do that for them. This particular travel photo was taken on a footpath on the way to St. Ninian's cave in Scotland.
Thankfully, the person I painted it for was very patient because it took a long time for me to know exactly how I was going to execute all this...GREEN. I wanted to achieve a balance because if I painted it all green it would lose character, but if I took out too much green it would lose it's Scottish-ness. I reached back to my childhood and remembered what it was like exploring various footpaths in the English countryside and how that was one of my earliest memories of adventure on untrodden paths. As a child the sudden appearance of a creek or little bridge was exciting and to this day, there is something that enchants me when I see water flowing over rocks.
"Path to St. Ninian's Cave"
11"x14" oil on canvas, private collection
2 comments:
Mary Jean - this painting is really a gem! I LOVE how the water looks - I think you captured the depth/glare factor perfectly! My mother-in-law paints and she has often pointed out in a collage of green landscape just how many SHADES of green there are. Until she made me aware of this, I just saw 3 shades: lime, kelly and forest green(s). I am so proud of you and your talent - WTG!
XOXO Jenene
Pity it's Scotland - a few more miles to the west and you would have the "forty shades of green" from the old folk song.
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