DJ

West Midlands, UK, Illuminate, oil, 91 x 71 cm (36 x 28")

My Inspiration

Spending time with nature has always been a huge source of inspiration for me. If you are patient and look with the right kind of eyes, there is so much to see. On this particular day I had been exploring some woodland over Kinver Edge close to home when I came across this unusual silver birch tree. It was growing at an angle on the hillside that allowed me to lie along the trunk and look up into the canopy above. Sunlight was bursting through the tracery of branches and Illuminating the leaves and delicate colours in the layers of paperlike bark on the tree trunk.

My Design Strategy

The silver birch tree is known as the “Lady of the Woods” and I wanted to incorporate this idea into the painting. The trunk of the tree launches itself into the painting helping to give a dynamic composition and an interesting base from which the branches can spread out. Here I can really explore the variety of tangled patterns and negative shapes produced by the branches to help lead the eye around the painting and keep the viewer interested. The bright yellow/orange leaves complement the linear shapes and add another dimension to the painting. Rays of sunlight bursting through the canopy and illuminating the trunk finish the scene and help tie together the different elements in the painting.

My Working Process

I start by laying down a bright sky and use my fingers to shape the clouds. After establishing some of the background landscape near the bottom of the painting, I then begin to model the trunk and branches, playing with the abstract shapes produced by the array of delicate twigs. Leaves are then put in with a palette knife using thick impasto oil paint to help ensure that the colour and vibrancy stays true. Glazes of white light are then dragged across the painting to help light up the bright textures that have been scraped onto the trunk. Taking time out to put the brushes down and enjoy the painting, as well as viewing it critically is an essential part of my process.

Finalist

Contact Details

Email: artbydj@hotmail.co.uk Website: www.artbydj.co.uk