Looking again

Painting from Life in the Garden

Study of Apple Blossoms, 1 (3x4, Oil on Paper)

I’ve spent a lot of time sitting under the apple tree this year. It’s not new to me; we’ve lived here for about 10 years, and I’ve watched it through every season. It feels a little different this spring. I’ve spent the last year slowly and intentionally building this painting practice and giving myself permission to turn my craft into a career. And this means that in spring, it’s part of my job to sit under the tree.

Study of Apple Blossoms, 2 (3x4, Oil on Paper)

Observation is such a huge part of my painting process: paying close attention, even when I think I already know what something looks like.

When I paint, I tend to notice things I wouldn’t otherwise, like the shape of a leaf, the way edges blur or sharpen depending on the light, colour shifts in the shadows, the movement of wind rustling petals. Nothing really looks like you think it should, and so this time spent observing really improves the painting.

Study of Apple Blossoms, 3 (3x4, Oil on Paper)

What I appreciate most about painting is the way it naturally slows me down.

This spring, I kept coming back to the same parts of the tree. I think I could paint exactly the same branch and still see new things: different light, changes in movement and pattern. It’s not very dramatic, and likely, if I wasn’t to sit and make a habit of really looking, I might not really see the slight changes.

Study of Apple Blossoms, 4 (3x4, Oil on Paper)

Painting from life, like this, feels different from working from a photo. There are movements and small shifts in wind, weather, and sun that make it feel a bit easier to reach a lovely rhythm in the composition. It’s trickier to do this when I paint from photographs. (Which reminds me, I’ve spent a good amount of time collecting video references this year, and I’m going to see if they’ll help emulate the feeling of movement once my studio moves entirely indoors for winter.)

Study of Apple Blossoms, 5 (3x4, Oil on Paper)

Even though I talk a lot about focusing on things like shape, colour, pattern, movement, and light, what really matters to me isn’t capturing those things perfectly or realistically. My real goal is to paint what it feels like to be in that moment. I want my work to reflect that experience of noticing, being present, and spending time with what’s in front of me.

Study of Apple Blossoms, 6 (3x4, Oil on Paper)

If you’re curious about how this kind of close observation shows up in my work, you can take a look at some recent garden paintings here.