I love to explore the back roads of the Olympic peninsula to discover the gritty, down-to-earth scenes I like to paint. I often come across scenes of rural poverty, like this shack up the Skokomish River Road. It looks like they started with a small travel trailer and kept adding lean-tos and extensions until they had a poor person’s mansion. Various building materials lean up against the outside walls, and a red tractor rests in the weeds. It’s a rustic way to live, but it makes a great subject.
I was pleased with the way I ran the color of the trees down into the roof, and the way I let the walls merge with the ground. Nice and loose.
Do you think somebody lives there now?
Yes, there’s smoke coming out of the stovepipe. I wasn’t fast enough to lighten the background to show the smoke.
Yes, your paintings are as interesting as your subjects. Please continue to do more of these.
Thanks, Warren. An interesting subject is hard to find, but really contributes to an interesting painting. I’m always looking for the unusual.
I find your painting very interesting and appreciate the explanation. So fun to wonder who lives there and all the stories the structure could tell.
Thanks, Bev. There’s got to be some fascinating stories at this place. I think of these folks as scrappy, independent characters who are living life on their own terms and proud of it. Of course, I could be wrong. 🙂
My eye wanders from the shack to the beautiful trees in the upper left, which seem so unconstrained and free and lovely. Its a great contrast/journey from the human, hasher darks and lights and straight lines to the lovely green of the tree. Great painting.
Thanks, Guy! My teacher, Eric Wiegardt, says that one of the three objectives of a good painting is “to lead the eye through the painting.” It makes viewing a painting a pleasure.