In the Shade of the Jacaranda

 I did not have a lot of time because I got started later than I wanted.  Picked something close to the house and seasonal in nature.  My mom had been admiring the trees the week before so I took up her cue and painted the Jacaranda tree.

 I was in the shadow of the tree looking through it and into the sun.  This created a some interest in the patterns of the branches and the abstract nature of the light between the branches of the tree.

 I chose to define the tree in terms of what it wasn't.  I created the space next to the object that I was painting to approach an idea of what it was in terms of abstract mark making.  This was my way of capturing the interest I had in the light coming through the tree.

 I did not like what was in the background so I removed the idea of anything behind the tree.

 Painting in the shade with pastels has an element of mystery to it.  I knew I had built up some solid differences in value within the painting; but I was not sure how it turned out until I viewed it in the sunlight. 

 The finished pastel painting 24"X24".

The value shot.

The detail shot.  I like the fact that you can fill the view with marks from this painting and not really tell what it is until you pull back from it.  It could be a number of different abstract paintings strung together.