The Twisted Pine

I painted this image at the same time every day, on location above Naramata Road. The view is to the south west, of Skaha Lake in the background, and Okanagan Lake in the middle ground, late in the afternoons during the last week of April. Having set the mood of warm, hazy light for the sky and distant hills, I scrubbed in some of the dark colors to establish the tonal boundaries for the painting. The warm colours from the westerly sun created a multitude of dramatic effects just perfect for a landscape. The first signs of spring, represented with the many hues of yellow green, awaken the joy that we all feel following a long winter. The delicate brushwork of the Saskatoon blossoms were done at a later time in my studio.