oil on cradled panel, 9" x 12"
This is a scene I've been wanting to paint for quite a while. It lies just south of Bodega Bay, on a bluff overlooking the bay, and is home to lots of birdlife, especially egrets and herons. The marsh itself is a riot of color and has a walkway that circles it. I take my dog here often to walk the loop and contemplate nature. I painted this scene alla prima (in one session) from a photo I had taken and decided to leave it in its sketchiness. My favorite pieces are often the ones I've done alla prima, those that convey a visible sense of spontaneity. A singer doesn't sing half a song one day, then finish it the next; a poet doesn't recite half a poem one day, then finish it the next. A painting like this is of a moment as well, so why not paint it in one go?
