The Summit

Art Appreciation

Original Oil

15.5" x 21.25"

This was a challenging painting. There were a number of times when I knew I was crazy to attempt it. It would have been easier to simplify the gold frames or take out a few pieces or just make the paintings less detailed. I didn't because I wanted to see if I could paint these walls.

The final painting in the upper left is Lion: A Newfoundland Dog by Sir Edwin Henry Landseer. Painted earlier than his two in the bottom left, it was completed in 1824.
This piece I saved for last thinking it is just a dog and would be easier than painting people. Why I saved it for last when it is the most important painting due to its focus and size and could doom my whole painting is beyond me. A risky move, but maybe the additional pressure really pushed me. I can't compare myself to Landseer but I hope I gave a semblance of his work so it reads like a Landseer.

The two art admirers were easier to paint yet are an essential part of what I am trying to say with the piece. I hope they provide the invitation to join them in appreciating the Masters.
For me, I am reminded of the debt each artist owes to those who created before him.

Is this my mountain top? Well, the subject matter was by far my most difficult.
One of the best things about this painting is that the next time I am deciding whether to undertake a painting challenge, I am more likely to take the plunge..... or climb!