Original artwork description:

Frequently I paint by the river close to where I live in Fair Oaks, California. This windy day at dusk was perfect for both painting and sailing. On the American River in Northern California, late summer days are often spectacular. When I saw this sunlit sailboat with its shimmering reflections in the water, I knew it would be a luminous painting. Because the boat was sailing in front of the shaded hillside, the cool darkness of the background emphasized the sunlight on the boat.

I paint in the lineage of the French and American Impressionists who were inspired by the light and color of nature. I begin the painting with brushes and finish with a palette knife. The brush gives a soft feel while the palette knife has crisper edges. With the knife I can also achieve more color refinement.

I painted this on a linen canvas panel. This is more conducive to outdoor painting especially with a palette knife. Since I paint in layers, there is some texture to this painting but not too much. The layers of paint are not thick, so the texture is minimal. This painting is unframed.

Materials used:

brushes, palette knife

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