3 Studies of the Redwood Forest

These paintings are all loosely based on photographs I took a few months ago in Big Basin Redwoods State Park near Santa Cruz, CA. I used a lot of creative license with color and painterly style while still capturing the feeling of being there in this majestic forest.

Here, the sun is low in the sky as it’s early morning. You can see the glow of the sun filling the sky and touching everything. The foliage in the background is shown through hazy forms, some washed out by the golden light.

This one, Study of Red Trunks, focuses on the lovely rich color of the redwoods’ bark, and the perspective created by looking up at their sheer height!

This painting, Study of Forest Light, shows how thick the forest grows. The sunlight is filtered through the diaphanous canopy of the trees and other green growth. The essence of chlorophyl.

Sunlight is one of my favorite things to paint, and I am very much celebrating the return of the light as the days start getting longer again!