Michael Newberry, Bamboo, 2008, oil on canvas panel, 12 x 9 inches
There is a special feeling of "it's show time" painting outdoors and trying to capture the image in under an hour; urgency, rush, "aha" moments, and either despair or elation, depending on whether or not the painting is working. This is one of my favorites from my September '08 trip to Rhodes, Greece. I love the abstract arch of the bamboo and the pine tree; the complexity of the bamboo's colors; and the feel of the sound of rustling in the air. The experience is like rapidly locking the pieces of jigsaw puzzle into place.