Willard's Walkway This painting like so many of my paintings came from a photograph I had taken. This particular photograph was actually one of Evelyn around the time of her first birthday. One of these days I will paint her, but I don't think I could have the heart to sell it, so that would be the reason she has been omitted from this scene. This trail was near our house when we lived in Willard just outside of Topeka. Like you may have realized I have a thing for adding in my own sky and water, which is what I have done here. I also added in the lilies as well because they were not in bloom at the time this picture was taken. I'm glad they had been there at one point because this painting needed something to fill up it's left side since I took out the main subject. It wasn't until after I worked with the sky that I wanted to add water. I had the idea of an after rainfall scene where the sun is breaking through. There obviously was not water or rocks on the trail so I added that all in from my own preference. It takes me back to a time when I spent almost every waking moment with Evelyn and took her pictures weekly.
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Evening with Thistles This painting is actually the view to the West of the Other Place Barn. There is the remainder of my grandfather's childhood home behind those trees. The only remainders of the rock house are two walls. I would like to put the house in some how to make it apart of this scene but you really don't see it from this spot so I will have to fib. The way I pieced this painting together with these three sections is to really show you all you would see if you'd look closely. This whole area is overgrown so there are thistles all over. I wanted them to be the focal point so I put as much detail into them as I could. They may be a weed but I think they are beautiful. They also may not appear proportional, but if you sit on the ground right in front of one this is what you would see.
I would say this painting is unfinished, but that would mean I would have to come back to it and I just don't know what to do. The windmill in the background was not laid out proportionally to the size of the canvas and so it will not fit. It was there but I covered it up with the sky because it did not look right. Turns out it would actually be going off the top of the canvas if I did it correctly. This is a lesson in why you plan and sketch ahead of time instead of eye-balling things. For now I will leave it this way until something comes to me. Flint Hills Skyline When I was searching for photo inspiration I knew I wanted local landscapes. When I think of Kansas landscapes I automatically think of the Flint Hills. I was raised having so many amazing experiences viewing the the beauty of God's country. This painting was a merge of multiple photographs and a blend of my own personality.
Newly updated as of early August. If you had seen this painting before you would notice the changes to the sky, as well as the additions of the stream in the background and the rocks and flowers in the foreground. I never really liked the way I had it before, it always looked unfinished. After several drives to Topeka through the Flint Hills I new what needed to be done. I really love the way it all came together. |
Andrea Stitt
A behind the scenes look at the creation of each painting as well as adventures in being an artist. Archives
December 2017
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