A week ago I was driving back from an art opening, heading north from Bristol, VT when I saw the most amazing sky ahead of me. I grabbed my camera and started taking pictures, continuing to shoot even after the sky opened up and a terrential rain made it almost impossible to see. I do love driving the back roads of Vermont during a summer evening.

By the way, the show was of the work of Cameron Schmitz, a talented Vermont artist.

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.

Painting outdoors was a new experience for me and one of the biggest challenges was the shifting light. It’s tough to capture shadows when they are constantly moving. I’ve heard the phrase “Don’t try to chase the light” but now I really understand what it means.

Colin Page is a talented painter worth checking out.  He does a wonderful job capturing light while infusing his painting with energy.