Oil on canvas, 48 x 72 inches
Exhibiting: Saks Galleries, Denver
$13500 framed
 
I did two earlier versions of this scene, both squares, smaller and with bluer, overall hues. They turned out well and I had often thought of doing that scene again in a different way. Surprisingly, this scene came up when one of my social media sites sent out a ‘look back’ photo of one of the earlier versions. The earlier, square painting had been cropped into a vertical format and I instantly liked the look. Why didn't I think of that earlier?
 
The very next day I started this 6-foot vertical with a different focus. The sky is not blue-shifted but instead, it features a large amount of atmosphere colored in a variety of light tints. Painting air is a tricky task but the rewards are very satisfying. The clouds on the upper right create a soft-colored boundary and are an important part of this composition as well as creating motion. 
 
At the beginning of this oil I was focused on expressing, rather than representing this scene. That started with the power gained from contrasting lighter skies against darker trees. That idea is also conveyed in the silent line of trees, their unusual color array and complex details.
 
More expression is found in the warmed, colored air and colors moving across the two snow fields. 
 
At first glance, it's a quiet and simple scene but the subtleties emerge.