I had begun this biggish plein air piece a couple years ago, and set it aside with some disquiet about it. I realized its composition wasn't quite right, and that I didn't know the light effects well enough to sense its direction. After whitewashing and recomposing it, that sense grew some. The patterns of sun and shade are still a little vague at this point, which is something I've learned to live with as a larger piece like this progresses. I've come to trust that by the time I get to those areas of the painting, the stream will have explained itself to me much more thoroughly.

"Ahh, Shhhhhummerrr"

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Here is my easel at work during some nice summer afternoons. It was good to finally get this going while feeling better about its design. The trained eye might notice some poison ivy off to the left, and a vine running up one of the tree trunks. Each painting spot has its own individual reminders that go along with it. My ongoing hope with this painting spot is that the very leaning tree across the stream "stays strong" for a few more years : >)

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And here are those first two phases, the one I wasn't happy with, and the one that shows the movement of the same stuff to new locations:

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Stay

strong

tree!