Description

What was the inspiration for Found? 

A hike in the forest and all the little treasures that are found along the way.  The colors, the bird sightings, a butterfly, a shiny leaf, a little stream.  It’s a collection of magic.

What were its challenges? 

It’s always a challenge to follow a painting to a dead end and then keep painting.  This painting felt like a forest early on, but I didn’t like that it looked like it.  I didn’t want a standard landscape. I wanted to capture that dreamy feeling of having found treasures on that hike.  That meant highlighting the treasures and giving up the forest.  This is a landscape of a different sort.  A collection that tells a story of a place without literally representing the place.  To me, that makes it feel connected. It calls to the interaction we have with a place through what we touch, find, and focus on.  I love that.

What were the techniques you used? ,

This painting has a lot of bright, metallic paint, which I highlighted with subdued, creamy colors. Underneath this painting is the beginning of a forest landscape, which I covered up to highlight what was found in it.  I fingerpainted and used foam brushes for the dreamy look.  I mixed my whites and naples yellows.  Highlighted with gold.  Used some iridescent to make it glow.