Salal Solitude

I started this painting July 17, while on the Oregon Coast. A fellow artist sat down near me to sketch and I was attracted to her hat initially. We were in a very typical coastal park thick with salal (a native Oregon shrub) on the ground and evergreen trees. Although she was sitting on grass, I liked the idea of salal moving over her, into her sweater, embracing her and gluing her into the scene.

When I got home, I had a painting with a woman, the tree she leaned against and the start of the surrounding salal. The picture went into a pile until this week. It's always hard to take a start of a painting and complete it in the studio much later. I had to pull up my intentions for the painting nearly a month ago, envision the coastal atmosphere, remember the color palette I initially used.

One afternoon I completed the bed of salal and put in the beginnings of the coastal evergreen grove.

 

At this point I was committed to the background of trees, but walked away for the day.
I had time to consider the possible ways to complete the painting. I decided to complete the mood of the misty coast with a wash of veridian green, cobalt blue and burnt sienna, mixing them on paper to create a subtle, but varied light mist.

 

Finally, this morning I painted a weaving of trees and branches throughout the misty background. I added some texture to the closer trees and put in my signature. A mixture of reality, imagination and pattern. Done for now!