Michael Newberry, Slope, 2008, oil on canvas panel, 9 x 12 inches.
I lived in Rhodes, Greece for about 8 years, and I returned for in September of 2008 for one month to paint and visit my friends. This is the first of those landscapes. This spot is on a slope rising up to an observation point on the peak. The Mediterranean is behind us, you can smell the salted sea, pine, and an arid hint of oregano. I love translating the smells and feeling of heat into color - the crisp green pines with dark and purple shadows, and the brightness of the dry golden color of the grasses.