"Peaceful"

16 x 20, oil

I have lived in the Pacific Northwest for thirteen years, for the past ten years when driving into Seattle I would pass this farm. In the spring there would be little white lambs everywhere in the pasture. I would stop and watch their antics, running and jumping, so carefree in their youth. As the years passed the flock got smaller and smaller until today there are a dozen at most, no more lambs in the spring. No one lives in the house, but the remaining sheep can be seen wandering the property. The windows are gone in the house and there is a large hole in the roof in the back, but the house still stands, sturdy, stoically waiting for someone to come and care for it again. The farm buildings are amazing, all in great condition, no sagging roofs or missing boards, maybe a coat of paint. Every time I drove past the farm I would tell myself what a great painting it would make, and then drive on. The property is posted and sits on two well traveled roads so plein air would have been difficult. So using my handy dandy iphone camera, I started taking photos. I went back three times to get more photo's from different angles. This painting ended up being a combination from several views of the farm. In this painting the farm buildings and the land are my focal point. I want to do another painting of this farm with the house being more prominent. In front of the house is a large apple tree, this last fall it was loaded with bright red apples. The house still stands, the tree still produces, a tribute to the farmer who built the house and planted the tree.

This is the first landscape I have done in probably fifteen years. Back when I was painting them it was of the flat lands in the Midwest, so this was a bit of a challenge to get the rolling land. The trees are different in both shape and color, not as much red here. I like the way the pastures have a glowing gold color, fading almost to white the farther away we see. I really enjoyed doing a landscape and will do more!