Mini Paintings of Unforgettable Moments | Heat From the Sky | Yellow Splendor | Moon Over Thousand Acres | Night Walk on Mt. Tabor

Like most painters, I have a collection of ideas for paintings that I want to make in the future, and some of them I never get to. I decided to create this collection of mini paintings—8” x 8” on wood panels, from some of those images that I really wanted to paint but haven’t yet made it into my plans for a larger piece.

Some of these small studies may end up as my starting point for an eventual larger painting!

Heat From the Sky

Heat From the Sky. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

The composition for “Heat From the Sky” came from a photo taken of an Oregon forest off the road near Crater Lake.

Heat From the Sky. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee
Heat From the Sky. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

However, the colors are completely from my imagination.

Detail: Heat From the Sky. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee
Detail: Heat From the Sky. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee
Detail: Heat From the Sky. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

The painting is suffused with a warm orange glow, with sunlight streaming down over the trees from the sky and creating pools of light and shadow on the hilly forest floor.

Detail: Heat From the Sky. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee
Detail: Heat From the Sky. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

It is a bold, dramatic painting that feels like autumn!    

Heat From the Sky. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee
Heat From the Sky. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

Last year, I asked friends to send me fall photos that they’d taken, for me to use as inspiration for future paintings. If I used one of their photos, I’d send them a free print of the finished painting in exchange.

Yellow Splendor

Yellow Splendor. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

“Yellow Splendor” is based on one of my friends’ photos.

Yellow Splendor. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

The sunlight bursting out from behind the trees and shining towards the viewer is one of my favorite things to paint.

Detail: Yellow Splendor. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

Detail: Yellow Splendor. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

The white light makes the golden yellow leaves glow, and the contrast between the bright yellow leaves and the dark tree branches is striking.

Detail: Yellow Splendor. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee
Detail: Yellow Splendor. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee
Yellow Splendor. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

We get little peeks at a vivid blue sky in the background, showing in the negative spaces between the foliage.

Yellow Splendor. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee
Yellow Splendor. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

Moon Over Thousand Acres

Moon Over Thousand Acres. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

“Moon Over Thousand Acres” is from a local hike I did last fall.

Moon Over Thousand Acres. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

Thousand Acres is a 1,000-acre off-leash dog park at the Sandy River Delta east of Portland, Oregon. It’s a magical place where dogs can romp through the woods and swim in the river to their hearts’ content.

Moon Over Thousand Acres. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

On this day, the moon was visible in a deep blue sky.

Detail: Moon Over Thousand Acres. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee
Detail: Moon Over Thousand Acres. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

The tree trunks reached upwards together like tall spears.

Moon Over Thousand Acres. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee
Detail: Moon Over Thousand Acres. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee
Detail: Moon Over Thousand Acres. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

The image stuck with me!

Moon Over Thousand Acres. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

Night Walk on Mt. Tabor

Night Walk on Mt. Tabor. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

“Night Walk on Mt. Tabor” is also from a local hike.

Night Walk on Mt. Tabor. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

I hike on Mt. Tabor frequently, but rarely at night.

Detail: Night Walk on Mt. Tabor. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee
Detail: Night Walk on Mt. Tabor. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

On this night, it was foggy. We went walking through the darkness.

Detail: Night Walk on Mt. Tabor. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

The only illumination was from the occasional street lamp in the park.

Detail: Night Walk on Mt. Tabor. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee
Detail: Night Walk on Mt. Tabor. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

Through the misty air, a golden light glows from a lamp, showing the shapes of branches and leaves, and the dark looming forms of huge tree trunks.

Night Walk on Mt. Tabor. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

A lone figure makes his way through the scene, blending in perfectly with his surroundings, part of the moody night landscape.

Night Walk on Mt. Tabor. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee
Night Walk on Mt. Tabor. 8″ x 8″, Acrylic on Wood, © 2022 Cedar Lee

Contact me if you’re interested in any of these originals or prints of these paintings.

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