Summer storm
2009 August 12
When I started this painting the sun was out and the shadows were strong. Gradually the sky darkened, the shadows lightened and then the rain began. Twenty minutes later the storm was over and the sun came out again.
Later I finished the painting indoors. As I worked I realized I was mainly interested in the light on the tree and began to remove distracting details in the background. What you leave out can be as important as what you put in, a distinct advantage of painting over photography.