Plein Air through the window

Late Winter Stump

9x12 Soft Pastel on Art Spectrum Colorfix

By Tom Willa

$75 matted

Here is the painting of the stump in our backyard. It was completed in the warmth of the studio. I was motivated by the return home from Arizona with the desire to paint plein air. The painting took on the challenge of having the easel in place inside the studio for a few days. The stump catches light on sunny afternoons but has a cool feel on the typical Northwest overcast day. My value study sketch was completed on a sunny afternoon while most of the painting was executed during one of those overcast days. I had the desire to meld both of these winter day temperatures together for the feeling of spring being around the corner.