I made some major progress on my farmscape last night. I was tooling around with oil pastels as a highlighter but have to see if a fixative will hold it to the canvas before declaring the piece finished.
It's an evening / early night scene with the sun going down, casting a warm glow on the subjects lucky enough to catch a quick drink of light before the cold darkness sets in.
This piece isn't done yet. It needs lots more detail and a little more saturation in the hue department before I'm for sure ready to show it to anyone at the gallery, etc. I always ask my hubby about whether a piece is done or not and he's generally right. So, thursday, I'll be putting another three or four hours in then hopefully closing the book on this piece.
My husband and oldest son just got back tonight from a weekend trip to the cabin to get it ready for our visit. The scene in this painting is Frank's Farm next door. Frank is our neighbor, a very very Dutch Michigander who was leathery at the onset of our cabin purchase, and has been softening up every since. He's becoming quite a fine friend now that he knows we're not weirdos (or at least, maybe we're the same kind weird, and therefore, tolerable). Come to think of it, Frank started warming up as soon as my husband mentioned that he was an alter boy. Now Frank is always shouting, "Peace be with you!" when we pull out of the drive to head home. Frank is one of the few farmers who at ninety years old, can still haul ass in a John Deere. He's a widower who still runs his cattle farm, year round, without help. The farm is immaculate. Frank is fighting cancer, so please send one up for him if you have a moment today to do so.
"Evening" (Spring Thaw in Northern Michigan) Acrylic / Oil Pastel; 48"x48" Gallery wrapped canvas
