Cherry and Daffodils

"Cherry and Daffodils" 12x12 oil on canvas

      Here is the finished painting you saw in my last post while it was being painted from my rear deck last Saturday. I had begun the painting around 4:30 and worked until 6:15 so I could get that late afternoon golden light. I felt I needed that as a foil to all the pink and blue and it would also accent the yellow of my daffodils under the tree. I was lucky this year as the light was just what I ordered. I have made painting this cherry an annual event and this is year three. My previous efforts are what led me to want either an early morning or late afternoon painting. Both of those times illuminate the tree in a beautiful way. I finished this yesterday and I am pleased with it. Last year's effort was a failure and was painted over. The year before was successful and it sold.

       This is the first plein air painting I have done on stretched canvas right out of the wrapper. I usually paint on primed panels that I have added a layer of gesso to followed by an underpainting of various colors. I had set up to paint on a 12x16 panel underpainted with yellow ochre when I realized what I wanted was a square. The only squares I had in the studio were the white canvas ones and all were still in their wrappers. So be it! Happily the paint set up well on the canvas by which I mean it didn't sink into the surface and look dull as it dried. The only adjustment I made was to cover the surface well and not let the white of the surface come through. Usually I want the surface color to show through in places having chosen the underpainting for that purpose.

Check out the Annual Members show at the Salmagundi along with our magnificent new gallery;
www.salmagundi.org. Also my website (which needs an update AGAIN) www.jeanschwartzpaintings.com