no eye has seen

    Saturday morning February 6th we slowly drove the vehicle along our former bicycle route on blacktop highway B. The sun was delicious. The air fresh. I stopped to look at the slough south of Wakenda. I could see through to the silt on either side and a deeper green yellow path up the middle. Gosh gorgeous, Jesus -- the sharp blue reflection into the green yellow. Man, that is something to look at with reverence.
    Further up we turned off and headed west on County Road 290. A winding bluff road with low creek scenes just off the road. The lighting was good, tree trunks fallen in diagonals, cascading blonde grass, sandbars, water, gnarly tree roots -- it was all there. I remember the paintings of forests and creek beds others have created. The colors I had admired. My desire to try that myself - someday. I got to come back to paint this. Ample subject material. I walked and laid out some branches next to the muddy road to mark areas of interest. The site was ten miles from our house.
     After church the next morning, I loaded the truck and headed out. From 12:24 pm to 1:52 pm I painted.

The space between the tip of the lower branch and the left side of the panel. The grasses next to the branch. A tight measuring with my eyes.

The distance between the top of the bluff ridge and the edge of the panel. Deciding where to focus my details. The eye will know there are trees up there without drawing in the trees. An idea I saw someone else use on the En Plein Air Facebook group.

Where the water touches the grass on the right bank. Are grass blades needed? Remove all the saplings in the way. Include leaves? Texture? No, the dark water beside the right bank edge - is enough.

The distance between the two sandbars. Distance to the fallen shale behind. Distance to the foreground branch. Measured with my eye, marked with a wash. Settle on the placement first. After the space - from this to that and that to the other element - then coloring can be worked out.

Compare above to the next. I extended the bottom branch. The sandbars are in place. One thin branch comes out of the water. Three logs on the right. Red berries down front. What else do you see improved?

The winter leaves on a bluff in shadow. Red mixed with green produced mauve hues.

Above, I mix the orange-green water I have seen used by the artists I admire. Below, the strong bluff breeze at my back, I turn the paint kit and drape my shirt rag to make a wind break for the paints.

 

Temperature in the 50s. Glad I wore layers that day. As I worked on the panel, the verse from Corinthians came to mind:

"No eye has seen and no ear has heard and no mind has even imagined what God have prepared for those who love Him."  1 Corinthians chapter 2 verse 9.

    Stream beds, rock patterns, not just from images others have recorded -- something I can now look at with my own eyes, standing, deciphering, interpreting, choosing for, calling my own.

    Afterwards I walked stretches, stopped to listen, consider the change in light, and plotted scenes 2:20 pm. Ate my sack lunch in the truck 3:21. Checked a few more scenes and  drove home 4:00 pm.

The hidden delights You foster, bring hope to me, even to one as I.

Thank you Father. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you God.
You lift me, you bring me joy.

Bluff Creek No.1

16.5 x 18 inches

acrylic on cradled panel

2016

varnished