Friday, September 7, 2007

Vermont Farm


Here's the latest, just completed this past weekend after a couple of weeks drawing and painting. The image is taken from a farm near Putney, Vermont, famous for its orchards. It's also hosted a number of knitting and spinning retreats which my wife has attended. Although not visible here, parts of the farm were used in the film version of John Irving's "Ciderhouse Rules." (Yes, I realize that much of the novel and movie were supposed to have been in Maine. However, most of it was filmed around Putney and Bellows Falls, Vermont.) As always in my paintings, the people are reduced to ambigously defined, shadowy shapes in the background. All in all I was pleased with the final product, particularly the windows along the side of the building. I was trying to define the sense of light and reflection without getting into the "specifics" of what might be reflected. And, as in most of my works, there's the contrast between bright sun and shade. I'd be interesting in hereing how people look at this picture. To what are one's eyes first drawn and where do you go after that? I'm actually a little happier with this scan than some of the others. It's still a little darker than the original, but I was trying not to wash out the sunny areas. Any thoughts? (9"x12", watercolor, pen and ink, on Fabriano 300 lb. paper)

2 comments:

One Wink at a Time said...

Truck, emblem on door, bed of truck, peaches sign, red door, milk cans, then distracted by not recognizing the piece of machinery to the right of the door. What a perfect composition. I kept finding interesting things to look at. I want the mercury in the thermometer to be red. ;-)
I wish you'd stop teasing me with things that fit so well into my decorating...
Sorry, can't help you with the scanning thing.
Also, loved Ciderhouse Rules.

Anonymous said...

Great job, Brian! I love it. My eyes are first drawn to the brighter area of the building, right behind the car. Then I look at the car.

Fantastic!