Valley of the Five Lakes II Studio oil, 12"x12"
Valley of the Five Lakes II
Studio oil, 12″x12″

Yesterday I painted this larger version of Valley of the Five Lakes. I guess that makes the first little one a study?

Valley of Five Lakes, Jasper Studio oil, 6" x 6"
Valley of Five Lakes, Jasper
Studio oil, 6″ x 6″

That first version is one of my favourites. It records such great memories and I love the colours and looseness. However I am still just learning to paint landscapes and in my mind was the question of whether the first one was a fluke. And while I still prefer the first, the second was a more conscious learning experience; colour matching, atmosphere as the greenery recedes and the mountain appears and capturing the light on the creek water. I also noticed a style of mark making occurring which I had used naturally in another of my favourite paintings (below – that one was done en plein air).

Winter Meadow, Aylard Farm Plein air oil, 8"x10"
Winter Meadow, Aylard Farm
Plein air oil, 8″x10″

Is this me developing a style? It definitely feels natural and yet I am learning through practice and by looking at the work of others who I admire. I am coming to understand that a personal style is both nature and nurture.

Nurturing a Style
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