"The Journey"

24x30 Oil On Linen

This is the studio piece I did off the study posted below. I had a very clear idea of the mood I wanted to achieve in this painting. That can be a good thing or a bad thing for a painter. . . . I learned a long time ago that each painting tells YOU what it wants to be and sometimes visions get in the way, each painting has to be 'their own' right? - and the study is information and inspiration! I laid this entire painting in, in a day. Felt good about it, came back the next day, thought a lot, painted a little. Got mad at the painting, put it away, came back SEVERAL more days and finally got it. I spent more TIME the last 5% of the painting THINKING than painting.

I knew instantly when seeing the place that this would be a piece I'd like to do larger. This place was like heaven on earth. The trees completely full of personality, the road a possible journey to take you where you wanted to be and the soy beans golden richness along the way. The thing that struck me the most was the texture of these beans. I truly wanted to get their character with paint! That part was really fun!