Certain paintings seem to come to fruition almost organically. It may be when I have a very specific vision for the piece and can execute well on that vision. Oftentimes when this happens I think of Michelangelo who sculpted the David statue. He is famously quoted saying “The sculpture is already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. It is already there, I just have to chisel away the superfluous material.” Maybe there’s a little bit of that happening here. This Hamilton landscape painting was just waiting to be revealed.
The photo inspiration
I took the photo in June 2022. What captured my attention was the depth of the forest and the sweeping shadows. A strong composition in a source photo always helps contribute to a successful finished painting. I also look for opportunities for movement in the scene that I can emphasize through brushwork.
Underpainting
Here I lay out my composition and set the values. I also start making some decisions, like what trees to focus on. You may notice I included the bench that appears in the right lower half of the source image in the underpainting and then later removed it. That’s the best part about underpaintings, you can use them to find out what works and what doesn’t.
The case for the missing bench
Why did I choose not to keep the bench in this painting? Sometimes, I feel like when you see a man-made object in a painting it can take away from the magic. I like to give the viewer a private moment with nature. If I included the bench, maybe subconsciously it felt like someone else could be in the painting. I wanted to protect the feeling of experiencing beauty in isolation.
Painting this Dundas landscape
Here’s a video that shows a timelapse of my painting process, from underpainting to framed piece. I start with the trees to give the painting structure. I also like the effects of painting in between each tree and letting the underpainting shine through. Knowing that this painting is a story about light and shadow, I move on there next.
In my work, I like my brushwork to be visible. When you’re up close to the painting it falls apart, but when you step back it comes together. I think there’s something beautiful in that.
Why is the title of this painting “New Beginnings”
To me, this painting signals the end of Spring and the start of summer. The air feels warm but not yet hot. Light shines through and promises all the amazing summer moments just around the corner.
On a personal note, this was one of the first paintings I completed after the birth of my son. I wanted to paint something vibrant and full of happiness to reflect where I am in my journey.
Lastly, I never know whether to call this a Hamilton or Dundas landscape painting. Technically I suppose Dundas is a community within Hamilton, but it feels more accurate to call out that this is set in Dundas. Let me know in the comments if you agree!
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