
A recent opportunity to paint in a friend’s garden …this view captured the light starting to come through the gap in the tree and make the red tree glow. We set up ahead since my friend knew exactly when the sun would make an appearance. Awareness of time and light is so important to success in plein air painting! I was pleased with this one. I got the main shapes and values in place quite quickly but I did need to finish up a bit in the studio. Once the light dipped too far, everything looked completely different!
Here’s a detail of the red tree that inspired the painting.

The pops of pure colour (cadmium red light) in the tree as well as some “sky holes” were the details needed to make this one sing.
(C) 2022 Hilary Farmer