Friday, January 7, 2011

THE TREES and THE FOREST

Pine Creek Pass
Transparent Watercolor 14x10 on Arches 140 cold press

Every time I paint a picture with a lot of trees 
I swear I'll never do it again.  
Then there is this beautiful day
--after a rain
--in the spring
--in the mountains 
that I want to remember.  

So how do you get a location 
and the scent of evergreen 
and the feel of mist 
out of your head and on to a flat surface?  
Impossible.  
This is the second attempt and is still a disappointment.  
Maybe I set myself up for failure.  
Maybe I should just listen to Joyce Kilmer.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
Our choicest plans have fallen through,
Our airiest castles tumbled over,
Because of lines we nearly drew
And later neatly stumbled over.
Piet Hein 

14 comments:

Carla said...

I think you've captured it wonderfully.
On the subject of feeling unsatisfied with a piece of art, I got this bit from a glass blower. He'd spent over an hour painstakingly working on the center for our chandelier--very large heavy piece. It fell off, just as he was moving it toward the place where he would take it off. It broke into a million pieces. I asked him how he dealt (mentally) with a piece breaking. He said, "If I weren't prepared to fail, I wouldn't be an artist. I just start over."

susan m hinckley said...

I love the previous comment, and the painting. But I also know how it feels to have missed a personal mark even though to the viewer the work seems beautiful. If we got it right the first time, we wouldn't keep trying. Also what makes you an artist. (and thanks for one of my favorite Robert Frost poems!)

Linda Sue said...

"disappointment'? WHAT? How could you say that? I just don't know! I am going to have to spank you, I guess. Now go to your room and apologize to the painting which, by the way, is glorious!LOVE it!

Kilauea Poetry said...

Hey, I rather like this and the title suits it..makes sense but it's lovely!
The snowy mountains and all that look spooky to me! Yikes..Love the trees covered in it though! I really enjoyed the Robert Frost poem too-

Anonymous said...

its beautiful!

Anzu said...

I wonder if you tell us that 「Lacks the finishing touches」goes gravely awry ? 画竜点睛を欠く in Japanese.
However, your picture is so fantastic. I can image the atmosphere and odor surrounded by foggy woods.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Linda Sue!! I think it is fabulous!!

TALON said...

Whenever my creative idea doesn't match what's produced I remind myself that the beauty is in the act of creating and not necessarily in the end result. And, best of all, every time you look at the painting you remember exactly what it is you wanted to capture and those moments come right back to you.

I love the painting - it's light and joyful and full of those particular vibrant green shades of spring.

Elizabeth said...

I think your picture is beautiful.
Bravo!
Trees, like hands, are horribly challenging.
You did a great job!

BB said...

I LOVE this painting!! I am SO not an artist and greatly admire those who can create such a real feeling of a place.
*sigh*
BB

Anonymous said...

Wow. I'm impressed. It's great! You are so talented!

Maude Lynn said...

Are you kidding? That's absolutely gorgeous!

Deborah Moore said...

What a perfect blend of picture, emotion, and poetry. I know what you mean, and I wonder when we feel like the mark has been hit.

Mrs Catch said...

It's gorgeous. Love the poem you paired it with too.