Through the Trees, oil on canvas, 28×30
Great views are often hidden by trees and other obstructions. This can be frustrating or limiting in choosing views to paint. Instead of fighting against these obstructions, I worked with them by painting them in. In this case it was the interesting shapes of the trees that got my attention.
I initially wanted to paint a grand vista. While the view through the trees was a good one, this specific tree arrested my attention the most. I was glad I switched to delineating the foreground because I like how the piece had a compositionally sound feel to it.
Atmospheric conditions grayed out the blue cast of the background. By contrast of color choice, color value and color temperature, I embellished the depth of the vista. When I got that area painted just right, I added the warm dark colors of the trees. Additionally, they were bathed in a golden light. They just came alive! The branches seemed to jump out in front and achieve the kind of visual depth I sought for the painting.