I painted this a few autumns ago - a la prima, plein aire and all that. Set my old French Easel up in the front yard and painted the big blazing Japanese Maple that is across the street. It was big for that kind of tree, and just as bright as I show it here. Just a beautiful thing.
In a way, this has become a painting about resiliency and bouncing back.
That winter my neighbor decided to "prune" the tree, and he cut it back almost down to the ground. Glad I went ahead and painted it when I did.
But it has been a few years now, and the old Japanese Maple has proven to be pretty tough. It's growing back, and is already about two thirds the size that it was then. I think it will be just fine, and in time spectacular, like before. Perhaps even better. I also have a new neighbor, so hopefully this won't happen again. Maybe in a year or two I'll revisit and make a new painting!
In a way, this has become a painting about resiliency and bouncing back.
That winter my neighbor decided to "prune" the tree, and he cut it back almost down to the ground. Glad I went ahead and painted it when I did.
But it has been a few years now, and the old Japanese Maple has proven to be pretty tough. It's growing back, and is already about two thirds the size that it was then. I think it will be just fine, and in time spectacular, like before. Perhaps even better. I also have a new neighbor, so hopefully this won't happen again. Maybe in a year or two I'll revisit and make a new painting!
