While in Florida this past winter I took long walks in my community most days. Some days I listened to audio books, some days I listened to podcasts. Many days I listened to nothing, enjoying having the time to think. On one of these days I approached the large pond near the entrance and was struck by the sight of a lone slash pine, tall and slender with a lacy canopy high up in the sky. Next to it was a puffy looking columnar cloud echoing the tall, narrow shape of the tree.
In that moment I saw the two elements in nature, the tree and the cloud, to be in silent communication. I have always felt like all things in nature are connected in some elemental way, energy flowing through everything, creating a web of oneness. This scene represented that ethereal feeling perfectly.
Discovery
In the days following I packed a backpack with a sketchbook and pencils and created several drawings of the scene. The scene as it was contained many manmade elements that I did not want to include: the guardhouse, the asphalt road, the power lines, etc. The pond was oval and not especially interesting. The trees in the background were too close. As I subtracted and changed these things I discovered what I really wanted to see in the painting, and what I wanted to feel. I wanted a painting that showed a time and place in Florida untouched by the human hand, swampy and thick with atmosphere.
Composition
I began the painting with a block-in with a full color palette. Afterwards I felt like the scene did not feel expansive enough. I decided I had to move the far tree line further into the distance. I created a visual entry point into the body of water in the foreground by pulling the water color to the bottom edge of the panel. I also added the suggestion of inlets jutting into the main body of water to add to the mystery and invite exploration. I also changed the far tree line to give the impression of greater depth.
Color
I took great liberties with the color of the clouds, and the entire scene, for that matter, adding russet and peachy tones to suggest a warm sunset even though the original inspiration was gathered in broad daylight in the late morning. I added specks of pure white to the far edge of the water to add the visual excitement of sunlight reflected on the water. I used burnt sienna in the foreground to pull that area forward and also further warm the scene. I feel like all of these things worked to create the expansive, hot, humid, swampy feel I imagined long ago, perhaps prehistoric, Florida.
Emotional Response
As I neared the end of my final painting session I experienced a visceral sense of falling into the scene and had an overwhelming feeling of peace and relaxation. This, to me, marked the point in the process where I knew the painting was successful and nearly finished.