The Pine Tree

The Pine Tree

"The Pine Tree" - charcoal and acrylic on Arches 300 lb watercolor paper, 15" x 22".  Available here and at Artfinder

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Come to me pine tree and we will never part
We'll put our roots down deep in each other's heart
from The Pine Tree by Johnny Cash


A recent walk through Powell Butte Nature Park has me filled with the scent of pine.  So many trees and branches of those great giants were on the forest floor after the big melt, and pine essence just saturated the atmosphere.  It was aroma-palooza!

So that prompted me to finalize this abstracted landscape, which was begun two posts ago with a double 3 minute sketch (two pieces at once using charcoal and water).  This stooped pine was from a hike on Silver Star Mountain, where the snow lay heavily on everything, making slouched figures from trees, long arms from branches, and a visual feast of sparkle in the sunlight.

For this piece, I decided to stick with a limited color palette: ultramarine blue, raw umber, titanium white and a small drop of dioxazine purple (which happened to be leftover and still wet on my paint palette).  The majority is painted with a wide, wet brush, with a bit of squeegee, some finger painting, and a small brush for a few finishing touches.  

It is a serene, simple piece.  Evocative of the hush and solitude of the mountain in winter, with nary a soul but my sister and me.

Note: demo video has an audio soundtrack!  Turn on the volume. :)