getting back to painting!

Well, I've been quiet for a while now and there's a reason for that. We have a new puppy! Zena is not a warrior princess, she's a Labrador, a cross between blond and 'red fox', 11 weeks old and unbearably cute! She's also a ball of destructive energy which I can't take my eyes off for long, hence the gap in my painting output. Yesterday and today, though, I've had the chance to devote some time to it, and I'm rather pleased with the results! I really wanted to 'pan out' from some of the closer work I've been doing lately and to get that 'big sky' feeling back with the illusion of loads of space. I think this works. 'First Snowfall' is reasonably large at 15 x 10" and I enjoyed the change. I love the sky and the sense of recession which I've tried to create in the background trees. I've always been entranced with the way some colours granulate on the paper and this effect in the sky was deliberate - for those interested the blues in the mix were cerulean and ultramarine, both of which break up beautifully on the paper. This is another of those that I don't want to cut off the board, so it'll spend a day or two on my mantelpiece! At least there it'll be out of the way of the puppy! Take care, and, as usual, if you'd like to buy any of my paintings or even just talk about them, please just get in touch. I look forward to it!

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