Publisher's Invitational 2.0 2012

c. K Schifano

Another invitation to paint with artists near the Trinity Lakes in the huge Adirondack park got me packing and driving 6 hours in June. THis time, we didn't drive hundreds of miles during the week to the well known Hudson River School of Artists sites, that was my focus last year. Instead, I tried to capture some of the sights of the Adirondack Park that make it memorable, a place to return and rejoice in nature, year after year. I found pleasure in roadside streams, long vistas and beautiful farms, the contrast between open sunny fields and dappled light of deep woods as well as the lakes and mountains.
Reviewing my camera memory cards, I found daily records of the ever changing morning light on St. Regis mountain as I walked to breakfast as well as dozens of rocks and huge boulders sitting in streams, on roadsides and buried in mountain walls. At one spot, I set my camera to movie and turned 360' to record the lake, stream, woods and animal sounds at my spot. Listening and looking at the film at home I am amazed at the variety and volume of the birds recorded.
I walked a little into the woods off a back road and painted this birch tree rooted on the shore, it was surrounded by pine needles from massive evergreens that had been there for generations. It was quiet and meditative, only a single car could be heard during the entire painting process.

c. K Schifano

Miles of Mountains, pastel 6x12, c. 2012
Sun Salutation, pastel 9x12, c. 2012