A Well Traveled Path

"A Well Traveled Path" 11x14 oil on panel

     I guess you can tell by now that I don't seem to tire of painting this beautiful property.  I love the barn, I love the farmhouse and I really love the view high over the Potomac.  Another plus is that painting here lets me maximize the time spent enjoying this very pleasant weather.  I can ride my mare Gypsy and then head off to the spot of my choice and paint.  This is the third barn painting I have uploaded here in recent weeks.  I don't know how many times I have ridden that path home to the barn in the last 30 plus years.  I enjoy painting what I know and what I love. 
      When you see the image of the painting on the easel in the photo below you will realize that I have curved the path that in reality is straight.  I painted it straight but when I got home I felt that a curve would be much more fitting in the painting.  The only other adjustment I would like to make is a refinement of the foreground shadow.  It is okay as it crosses the path but it is too heavy as it crosses the lawn.  I think the shadow to the right of the tree is much more successful.  Then all I have to do is sign and frame.

     Riders were coming and going and it might have been good to include one of them but I waited too long. I find if I put figures in at the end they looked tacked on.  This is about where I stopped and then worked on the path at home as well as a little detail on the horse van and the fences.  I have also recently updated my website if you care to visit....www.jeanschwartzpaintings.com