Sycamore in a Nor'easter

A Nor'easter is hammering the eastern seaboard this weekend, and while central Maryland is simply soggy and breezy, other places, such as New Jersey, have been hit harder. This storm became an inspiration for a painting. Here we see a huge, old sycamore up close as it withstands the rain and wind of a typical autumn storm. This scene is set later in the season, once the trees have started turning colors, but the gloomy light is still accurate to how it's been since Friday around here.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Old Autumn Sycamores

As fall spreads over the land, a chill breeze starts to turn the leaves to fiery colors and the grass to dried earth tones. Here, we see a pair of old sycamores at the edge of a scrubby forest. These ancient guardians have been here far longer than the young trees around them, and they face yet another coming winter stoically. Low light plays across their gnarled, pale trunks, and their leaves glow with copper colors before blowing away in the cold wind.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Sycamore After the Rain

The summer sun returns after a passing storm, illuminating an old sycamore that stands by a muddy footpath through a forgotten park.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Crabapple Hike

Along a wandering dirt hiking trail, an old crabapple stands guard, covered in flowers. Amid the green trees and grass, its pink hues shout a reminder that spring will always return, no matter winter's fury.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Labor Day by the River

Here in the U.S., this is Labor Day weekend, a celebration of the working class and all the effort they have put into building this nation. So, it seems to me to be a good time to go for a walk in the woods to enjoy the meandering river and the late summer sun beneath the trees and on the drying grass. Work can wait for another time!

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Sycamore Drive

Towering sycamores glow in the sun as afternoon shadows are cast along an old country road. The light worked out very well in this painting - the shadows from the trees on the left contrast well with the illuminated sycamores on the right, providing a feeling of late afternoon. The trees and road worked out particularly well here, and the scene has a good sense of depth to it despite not actually stretching on for miles.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"