What? March? Really?! Time I finished up with this.

I used Payne’s grey almost exclusively while building up the first three quarters of the painting. As a result, I had to fight with it a bit to warm up the lunar palette, and it remains a very cold piece. Sometimes you go too far. But painting never ceases to be a learning process.

I probably would have put this aside long ago, but every time I thought I was finished I decided the shadows just weren’t dark enough and started another coat. A bit more burnt umber, this time? It’s difficult to judge the contrast of a piece in the dark of winter evenings under artificial light. I had a lot of fun with the flaking cherry bark, carving it up into irregular scales.  Like a collection of unmatched puzzle pieces forced to fit together.

Going Up - Black Cherry and Downy Woodpecker