Here I Stand. I Can Do No Other

For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver.  ~Martin Luther

One of my previous tree paintings was completed and blogged about at the end of our Ofsted inspection (post: November 9th 2013) . This one was finished at the start of Sara's Ofsted week, and as I said about ours at the time, I look forward to reading the report. I'm sure that they will have done well - they deserve to.

Most people seem to agree that there is something very special about trees. I'm not sure if it is because of their age, or their size. Probably it is a combination of both - and something else..

This painting is larger than the others I have done, and is based on a photograph that I took during a walk with Sara along Nidd Gorge near Knaresborough at half term. I wanted to isolate the tree, so that it stands against a (textured) background. I wanted to enjoy the paint, as well as the process, allowing it to run and layer, so I used different brushes (most were bigger and different shaped) to the ones that I usually use, so the the marks that that they made would be different to my usual fare. 

The title, like the quote above,comes from the German reformer Martin Luther.

Anyway, here it is:

Blocking in and laying down some colour.

Moving the paint around and establishing some of the shapes.

......

The main shapes and starting to build up the background.

Starting to build up the detail of the tree.

 .... starting to get there, but the bottom of the trunk is too thick, and it needs a little more colour and contrast.

Here I stand. I Can Do No Other

The trees that have it in their pent-up buds

To darken nature and be summer woods -~Robert Frost