"Aspens (2)"

($40.00....mounted on a 1/8" depth clayboard panel)


"Aspens and evergreens live together in perfect harmony." This is another photo from Hyde Park in Santa Fe. Before Christmas overtakes us all, it is refreshing to the soul to linger a bit in the company of Aspens dressed in yellow. Enjoy.


If you have a desire to learn this "encaustic like" effect over a favorite photograph, refer to "Aspens (1)" for details. There is a tip regarding the lettering that might be useful before you get carried away. This is not like writing on paper. You will not be able to attack this surface with the same energy you do on unprimed paper. It requires an extremely light touch, barely skimming the surface. The energy and form of your lettering must be practiced on paper first with a pencil to get the movement down before writing on your piece. The good news is that the surface preparation allows you to dip a stiff brush in water and remove any mistakes. (I have taken out whole lines of lettering before.)

As for all of you color enthusiasts....it's time to analyze what is going on with the colors in this photo and why we are captivated by this particular arrangement. First of all, yellow and blue are split complements, so by including a portion of the sky, you automatically have a combination that satisfies that need for the eye to find the complement. Second of all, even though you may not see any red, I can assure you that if you tried to mix a "rich" deep green as you see in the evergreens, you would need to use some red. And red and green are the two most powerful direct complements. The conclusion is that a close study of nature will actually help to understand what colors to use together and why. So get out your "trusty" color wheel and mix away! Just something to try or think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.