Caught by the Copse

 

Caught by the Copse
8" x 11"
watercolor, pencil, and gouache
Arches 100% cotton hot press 

Yes, I was caught by this copse recently when hiking parts of Mt. Diablo. Nature can be so arresting to the eye; it just transfixes me sometimes. 

The painting above is my third attempt to capture that mystical moment of connection-to-the-whole that happens so often to me when in natural surroundings. (I feel lucky about that!) This actually looks a little better in person, but it still doesn't come close to what I had in mind.

Here are my first and second tries:

9" x 12"

watercolor, pencil, and gouache

Arches 100% cotton cold press 

Watercolor and pencil

8.25" x 5.5" Hand Book Large Portrait Sketchbook

Damn, I sure have a long way to go as a painter! It's actually been a rather frustrating afternoon, trying to render this scene that transfixed me so. 

But...nothing can take away that mystical moment on Mt. Diablo. I'm grateful for that.