Friday, September 18, 2009

Summer Pastorale




I have wanted to paint this picture for more than a year and now I have done it. This originated in a real scene in rural Virginia. Perhaps not so rural since it was located next to a busy highway. It was risky just stopping on the side of the road to take the reference picture. But I am glad I did. The painting is called "Summer Pastorale," which in French is "Pastorale D'Ete' " and is the name of a lovely modern piece by Swiss composer Arthur Honegger.

The painting is in acrylic on illustration board, and is 17" x 14". It is my attempt to capture the ideal and idyllic quality of summer in the countryside, where warm air mutes the colors and turns distant hills blue. Crickets chirp in the golden meadows, and the only other sound is the constant traffic on the big highway that cuts through...it was supposed to be a quiet little country lane, but you can't have everything.

2 comments:

Mike (Altus) said...

You captured that summer warmth beautifully.

Tristan Alexander said...

Again, I am not a big landscape fan but I really like this. NICE! It has the feel you want and is just about perfect.
I could not help think when I read the title "Summer Pastorale and some are not", lol