A Mountain to Climb
Feeling like this was all one big learning experience I approached each large piece in a slightly different way, this Teton painting was made by a gradual scaling up from a very small sketch to a work that was 60x40cm and then finally the 6ftx4ft. You can see the evolution below.
It was always on my mind to portray the Grand Teton merging mysteriously with the sky. These early studies were curious in that the peak is concealed but I now realise this only adds to the overwhelming sense of scale in the final work.
Teton Sketch, Oil 20x15cm
The Teton Sunset 40x60cm Oil Painting
‘Teton in the Sky’, Oil 6ftx4ft
I wanted to see what would happen if I knew that the composition and colour were already working well. This isn’t how I normally work but I really enjoyed both the security and freedom that resulted.
The viewing public seemed to agree, it probably being the most popular piece in the exhibition, with most commenting on the fresh bright green aspect emphasising the warm light. I wondered if this might also be a familiarity with this subject and palette from similar examples of European Landscape such as the Alps?