Padilla Bay No. 2
1x2 foot Acrylic and Spray Paint on Canvas
Padilla Bay No. 2 is a plein air landscape painting created at Padilla Bay in Skagit Valley, Washington. The painting explores the coastal wetlands, shifting light, and dense vegetation that characterize one of the Pacific Northwest's most unique shoreline environments.
It’s another multi-day piece, but I prefer that. A slight size bump from the previous one, but still small compared to what I’d like. Regardless, getting to work on it and then stepping away for a day is a valuable experience, without the stress of trying to squeeze meaning from just a day of work. I’ll need a third day to complete it, mostly due to the weather not cooperating.
I really am gravitating toward the texture of the winter plants and the subtle transitions of colors from the layering of hundreds of branches. What I’m enjoying playing around with is the perception of a flat surface despite there being a lot of depth—even with the view looking up into the trees versus being on a flat plane—pushing certain features like the tree up and over, but the branches below to roll the opposite direction.
Blue being my favorite color for shadows plays a big part in that idea in this piece, using it to stop your eye, push 3D objects to look 2D, and transition from depth to flat. From a palette perspective, I’m really liking the red and green together; it sings of a specific season here in the PNW. By adding the blues, grays, and browns, it turns from a very Christmas palette into something seasonally specific. I’ll be back soon to finish this one off.
