Exploring an idea, and Late Day Light by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Late Day Light, 2012, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on canvas, 11x14

 

 

I'm continuing to explore the late day light against the trunks of a row of palms seen recently in the Everglades at the end of a day.  I was so lucky to have see it.  Moments like this fade quickly, and if you happen to be looking the other way you might miss it completely.  Morning light is often like that, fading or changing quickly while I'm in the shower! 

 

Although I have painted almost every day for years, being inside the studio for so many hours a week will definitely have an effect on my work.  I'm not sure how--like most artists I may never know.  You just have to paint from the heart and hope the finished product will please you and make someone happy. 

 

In this series I am finding that the balances are very delicate.  I'm talking about how many verticals, and their position, as well as the color harmony.  Painting is a process, and as this painting developed the palm trunks changed position a few times.  I'd like to get them leaning a little more, but when I tried leaning them, the whole looked rather forced and trivial.  They ended up straight again. 

 

In nature each plant finds its own space, and it may take another visit to the spot to see exactly how they grow in order to change what my mind has seen. More to think about, and maybe work on in another painting. I may do a still larger painting of this subject, but am not sure how it will translate.  I'll think about it and maybe some sketches to see if it will scale well.