Spanish Fork Hay Field

9" x 12" Oil on Panel

There's something kind of mesmerizing about a field of fresh cut hay. There's the rhythm of hay rows as they appear to converge at the distant edge of the field. Then there's the contrast between the dark, cool-green of cut hay and the paler, warmer tone of field stubble between the hay rows. I enjoy painting them and feel fortunate when I find a hay field at just the right time. Other things factor into successfully painting a hay field, of course. I think things came together for this little painting.

There were a couple challenges involved in painting this scene. It's the time of year when cottonwood trees are shedding massive amounts of fluffy seeds. Those seeds readily stick to wet oil paint, and that can be a problem. There were a couple big cottonwoods close to where I had set up my paint box. When breezes came along those trees shed seeds in my direction in such abundance that it appeared to be snowing. The cottonwood flurries contained not only individual seeds but also big clumps of seeds that are even worse for a painting. Shielding the paint box and using a wet brush to intercept large clumps of seeds that came too close to the painting worked for the most part. Still a seed or two got onto the painting, but not enough to cause a fuzzy or lumpy painting. Little bits of nature in the paint are always part of the plein air experience, anyway.

A mile or two away a thick column of smoke rose, and began to spread. Shortly after, sirens of emergency vehicles could be heard. The smoke grew and spread, coming between me and the sun, which cast a gray smoky pall over the scene I was painting. Later I learned that a farmer had decided to burn some rubbish in a field. The fire had gotten away from him and burned five acres. Luckily, by that time my painting had progressed to a point where the smoky haze didn't affect it.

My paintings can be seen at these galleries:
In Salt Lake City: http://www.evergreengallery.com/
In Logan, Utah: http://loganfineartgallery.com/
In Ivins, Utah: https://www.facebook.com/juniperskyfineartgallery/