The clouds captured my attention on my way to the post office. The afternoon sunlight on the late October puffy clouds was a feast for the eyes. So much so that as I headed back to the studio, I changed my plans and thought of a place close by where I would have an unencumbered view of them ~ the pasture at Oakleigh.

With my easel facing the sun, I began laying out the expansive fields. The sun glowed through my canvas from the back, making it difficult to see what I was doing. The fact that my canvas was primed with white, rather than toned with a middle value; made it all the more impossible to see what was actually on my canvas.

Late October Sky,  oil on canvas, 24″ x 36″

Trusting it would turn out anyway, I continued brushing in the clouds and bringing the road into the foreground. As the sun moved lower in the sky, I packed up and headed home to finish it in the studio. The next day, I was surprised to see how soft and gentle, smooth and effortless the canvas looked. (continue reading…)