Posts Tagged ‘tree’

Spring Dusk

Thursday, August 4th, 2016

Spring Dusk, original art by Amy Crook

Spring Dusk, 6″x6″ pen & ink and Japanese watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper

Bright orange butterflies dance through the spring like living blossoms, going past a tree just starting to bud. New leaves shine bright green against the violet of falling dusk, and the last vestiges of sunset glow golden at the horizon.

Winter trees, autumn trees, and now a lovely spring tree helps to round out the seasons in my Horizons series.

Which season is your favorite?

Spring Dusk, detail, by Amy Crook

Spring Dusk, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the new leaf green against the black branches and violet dusk, with a single butterfly fluttering into the frame. Below, the tree stands proud in its frame, ready to bring a touch of spring to any room.

Spring Dusk, framed art by Amy Crook

Spring Dusk, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
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Twisted Maple

Wednesday, July 6th, 2016

Twisted Maple by Amy Crook

Twisted Maple, 8″x4″ pen & ink and Primatek watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper

Have a dose of the rain that California is still terribly in need of!

This tree has the twists and turns of a maze, the fat, short trunk splitting off into pathways and branches full of gnarls and bends.

The black seems dense at first but at second look there are subtle textures of bark adding dimension and shape, contrasting beautifully with the rainy sky behind it.

Twisted Maple, detail, by Amy Crook

Twisted Maple, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the hints of bark texture hiding in the black ink silhouette. Below, the painting rests in a temporary frame, just waiting to bring a breath of crisp autumn into your hot summer days.

Twisted Maple, framed art by Amy Crook

Twisted Maple, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
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Sycamore Sunset

Friday, June 3rd, 2016

Sycamore Sunset by Amy Crook

Sycamore Sunset, 6″x4″ pen & ink and Primatek watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper

This Horizons painting has an intense sky full of fast-moving clouds backlit by the glow of the setting sun. The deciduous trees echo the maples and sycamores of my childhood, leaves bare for now but promising new green when spring arrives.

As with the first painting, this one feels a little out of season, but sometimes we long for the weather that makes our heart sing. In this case, you can dream of crisp autumn days with the crunch of leaves underfoot instead of the first hot breath of summer still bearing the pollen of spring.

Sycamore Sunset, detail, by Amy Crook

Sycamore Sunset, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the intense gold of sun shining through the earthy orange clouds, with just a touch of lace-like branches peeking into the frame. Below, the painting is in its own frame, a small beauty ready to fit on your desk, in a nook, or on a shelf.

Sycamore Sunset, framed art by Amy Crook

Sycamore Sunset, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
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Weeping Willows

Monday, May 2nd, 2016

Weeping Willows watercolor by Amy Crook

Weeping Willows, 8″x4″ watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper

Are you weeping because it’s Monday? Me, too! Ah, well, the weekends can’t last forever.

Rain breaks up the blue of the sky, rivulets of white that weigh down the weeping willow trees below. The vault of the sky above presses downward, drawing the eye to the ground and the faded, ghostly figure walking among the branches.

The bare trees give a wintry feel to the scene, as does the cool turquoise blue of the sky, just barely desaturated by the gloom of the rainstorm.

Where in your life could you use a small reminder of the beauty in the death of the year?

Weeping Willows, detail, by Amy Crook

Weeping Willows, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the ghostly figure moving through the winter willows. Below, the art has been tucked into a temporary frame to dream of finding its permanent home with you.

Weeping Willows, framed art by Amy Crook

Weeping Willows, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, People, Figures and Faces, Series and Books
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Windblown

Wednesday, April 6th, 2016

Windblown by Amy Crook

Windblown, 8″x4″ watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper

Brilliant oranges, pinks, and golds paint the sky as the red sun sinks below the horizon. A lone figure stands next to the tree, both of them tousled by the unseen winds. A raven heads for them both, graceful despite the headwind.

What’s the story here? You could hang this up in your home and contemplate the possible tales as you go about your day, each glimpse sparking a new line of thought.

Windblown, detail, by Amy Crook

Windblown, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see a close-up of our big black bird, flying headlong into the wind. Below, the whole windblown tableau is waiting in a temporary frame to find its permanent home.

Windblown, framed art by Amy Crook

Windblown, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, People, Figures and Faces, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books
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Discontent

Tuesday, March 8th, 2016

Discontent by Amy Crook

Discontent, 10″x8″ watercolor on Arches cover buff paper

There is something very wintry about this painting, the shivery glow of light behind the sharply pointed tree without a hint of spring in the air.

Beautiful and eerie as a winter’s twilight, this piece would make a striking addition to your home or office.

Discontent, detail, by Amy Crook

Discontent, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the sharply directional branches in this wintry, windblown tree. Below, the piece is framed in matte black, adding to the drama.

Discontent, framed art by Amy Crook

Discontent, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Zombies, Skulls, and Other Morbid Things
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Cloud Skimming

Saturday, February 6th, 2016

Cloud Skimming, autumn watercolor by Amy Crook

Cloud Skimming, 6″x4″ watercolor on Fluid watercolor paper

As predicted on Instagram, the scanner ate away much of the delicate detail in the clouds and sky of this painting. You can see the texture best in the framed photograph, the soft mounds of the clouds.

This painting is an optical illusion, the geese skimming over distant clouds they are clearly far in front of and yet still seeming like they could almost land upon the fluffy white. The trees rise up in front, a shock of beautiful autumn flame, setting the stage for the migrating geese.

Cloud Skimming, detail, by Amy Crook

Cloud Skimming, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see the hints of texture in the clouds and the geese gliding above, bright foliage peeking up from the bottom. Below, you can see how petite these geese are, flying above the fluff.

Cloud Skimming, framed art by Amy Crook

Cloud Skimming, framed art by Amy Crook

Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Series and Books
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