After the Rain

I enjoyed painting this 3 x 5 landscape, another scene based on a work by Dwight William Tryon. His painting had nothing to do with rain so far as I know — I’ve been unable to find the title of the painting — but I was immediately drawn to the light in the foreground. This was where I chose to focus my attention. As I painted, I began to sense the rain. Much of that feeling came, no doubt, from the cool blues on my pallet.

This little landscape was also an opportunity for me to play again with tree trunks and limbs. Overall I wasn’t happy with the shapes of my trees, but I definitely do like my puddle of water reflecting the morning sky.

Painting always leads me to music, and for this landscape, I was hearing the “soft sounds of Erik Satie”. That little blurb comes directly from an album by Pascal Roge featuring the Gymnopedies of Satie, a French composer who was part of the Parisian “avant-garde” during the late 19th and early 20th century.

The album is entitled “After the Rain” and has always been a favorite for times when I want to sit back and reflect a bit on what life is all about. I also enjoy going to the piano and playing these quiet “Gymnopedies” almost like a mindful, musical meditation. You can hear the three Gynopedies here. If you like them, you might want to also check out his Gnossiennes — very similar compositions.

Indeed, I love the music of Satie, I love the paintings of Dwight William Tryon and his tonalist friends, and I truly loved painting my little puddle of water. I hope you find some enjoyment here as well.