I painted this for those of you who have ever been to The Grange on Cumberland Island. Truly one of the magnificent places on earth, Cumberland is chock full of subtle landscapes, from ancient live oaks to pastoral wide marshes. On the island all the colors seem to fade into olive tones and blend together in a mass of restful vistas.

As simple as this painting appeared to me when I first started it I had not analyzed its difficult parts and come to some understanding of both color use and how to paint the water. In the original photograph I was struck by the stark outline of the bench and its reflection on the dock. So painting it seemed to be rather easy. But I struggled with the water. Could I make it jet black like it showed in the original photo? How would the shadow of the trees in the background be painted if the water was black? How did I show the reflection of the clouds in the sky in the water and how about the reflection of the marsh on the water surface if it was black?

I played with the water in three ways, unsatisfied I finally ended up with this color scheme. I must admit, it was painted mostly to cover up the 'mistakes' I'd made in the earlier attempts. But overpaint I did and thinking about it I should have started with the dark water to begin with.

The background was first painted and then later overwashed with a shadow. If you notice the trees on the left side are dark while the tree mass in the distance remains lighter in color. Elements in the distance always appear lighter. Notice on Kristen Racing below how the trees in the background are lighter.

How about the composition of this painting? In retrospect I would have done two things 1. made the small creek in the distance larger creating a sense of mystery 2. realized that wooden docks sitting in the sun are bleached grey, not brown and the shadow of the bench is a more prominent element in the drawing. Also, I'd work on that water again, I'm still not satisfied!