Friday, June 1, 2007

Leaning Tower of Mesquite



For larger image, click on picture.

It has been a painting or two since I have painted something that wasn't just a frisbee. Time for another tree portrait. That will usually break me out of a slump. Something theraputic about attempting to capture the personality I feel in the presence of a tree. Joseph Campbell once wrote that God is the experience of looking at a tree and saying Ahhhhh. I guess it is kind of that way for me since church is not a place I frequent.

This was a grey day in early spring in the desert and all of the light was soft and diffused. I was walking along the Salt River and happened to look up on the bank and saw this honey mesquite that contained alot of character. I simplified the heck out of the branches on this scene and still felt like it was required to to put alot of them in order to capture the lyrical quality of this tree. It is alot less color than I like to put into a painting, but I made a decision to keep it as truthful as possible.

Thanks for looking.

4 comments:

Jean Levert Hood said...

Les, you really captured it. We have tooooo many mesquite here in Texas, and it is hard to capture their scrubby growth patterns and sparse foliage. Excellent job!

mick mcginty said...

Hello Les,
I'm in Phoenix (Chandler) for another day, and was wondering if you aren't already on your way to the painting seminar. If you aren't and you get this comment in time, I'm going to try to go out and plein air near Superstition on Sunday the 3rd. Sorry for the short notice..I know it's hot, but it's now or never. My cell # is 712-204 2567.

Greaqt work you've been putting up. I'm painting way too much from photoshoots.

Thanks,
Mick

les lull said...

Thanks jean. These old trees are great opportunities to work on edges.

les lull said...

Sorry I missed you Mick. I am looking forward to meeting you face to face. I was out of pocket over the weekend. Do call next time you are in town.