Cottonwoods

I have been inspired by Patricia Forester’s tree paintings, and have always found the bare winter structure of trees fascinating. All their characteristics are paintable! However, I paint from my photo instead of painting en plein aire! I like the comfort of my studio and climate control.

This painting includes rough bark, gnarly, twisted branches and shadow shapes in the strong morning sunlight. The more I look, other bright colors are evident. We have many different trees on our property and have viewed these cottonwoods in all seasons. I’m always looking for interesting trees with a lot of character when driving, and I often stop to get a photo to work from later.