"Autumn Creek" (oil; 8" x 6")

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8 x 6"
oil on linen
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Reference photo

The painting is a creek at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, which I visited last year for a plein-air painting session on a beautiful autumn day.  This haven for migrating birds, nature lovers, and other creatures that reside in grasslands and marshes is located 20 miles south of Washington, DC, at the confluence of the Potomac and Occoquan Rivers, just half a mile off the hustle and bustle of the busy traffic on Jefferson Davis Highway (US Highway 1). 

I hesitated painting the scene for a year.  Do you know why?  Artists who don't paint landscapes often say that their reason for missing out on the entire genre is the fear of leaves (grasses included).  Look at the picture and try to count how many leaves there are!  It is bewildering even for me who consider herself primarily a landscape painter.  I did my best to sublimate the excess texture and capture the essence of the autumnal beauty.  I did the painting mostly upside down not to get distracted by the leaves!

Painting upside down to focus on the big picture!

By the way, I am donating 100% of the proceeds of the sale of "Autumn Creek" to the American Red Cross.  It is a small part of the Daily Paintworks fund raiser for many people who were left in dire need by Hurricane Sandy.  If you like the painting, please make a bid!