Artwork Description:
This painting was done en plein air at Hawk Mountain Bird Sanctuary, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. It was a beautiful day on the mountain--I was painting at high noon, and the light was nearly blinding, with only an occasional cloud as a reprieve. The view into the valley was serene and almost ethereal. There were a few low flying turkey vultures hanging on the soft breeze, wobbling in the vacuum of the space above the valley. It was as if they were being pulled by invisible puppet strings, or balancing precariously on a nonexistent tight rope. I was able to listen to the sound of silence and breath in the sweet, clear air... It was slightly scented of pine, new foliage, and a hint of manure, emanating up the gentle slopes, originating at the neighboring farms in the far distance of the valley.
I utilized a limited palette of only burnt sienna, french ultramarine blue, prussian blue, cadmium yellow, lemon yellow, cadmium red, and titanium white, thinned by a mixture of 1/2 and 1/2 linseed and turpentine to create this painting.
You can read more about this painting, the series, and my techniques at:
www. fieldsendart. blogspot. com