Discover the Tranquil Beauty of Nature Captured in a Vibrant New Artwork
Today, I'd like to share with you an exciting piece of my journey as an artist—my latest artwork, "Veritas Caput." I’ve been working on this for over two months; this new creation is a work of love and nature, capturing the serene beauty and rich colors of the fall season. It also happens to be in one of my favorite places: Itasca State Park.
Veritas Caput - one piece of art, two free-standing paintings.
"Veritas Caput" is a large work, spanning 24 inches by 106 inches when displayed properly. I've used acrylic on canvas to bring this vibrant scene to life. The artwork consists of two paintings that portray tranquil autumn landscapes, featuring tall trees adorned with bright, colorful leaves. These trees gracefully frame a calm body of water, reflecting the oranges, yellows, and greens typical of the season. A clear blue sky above them adds a striking contrast to the warm tones, completing the composition and providing a sense of peace.
The inspiration for this artwork came from my time spent at Minnesota's Itasca State Park, a place where the beautiful wetland drains into Lake Itasca, the headwaters of the Mississippi River. There's something breathtaking about the play of sunlight and shadows on the trunks of the dead trees standing in the water. These were once living trees, full of branches. Now, their leafless trunks create a stark yet mesmerizing pattern, allowing us to catch glimpses of the vibrant living forest beyond.
Shown to scale in a residence.
Shown to scale in a commercial setting.
The process of creating "Veritas Caput" was a unique experience in itself. I employed a technique involving many layers of both opaque and semi-transparent paint, thickened with a heavy medium. Once complete, I applied a gloss varnish as the finishing touch. This method allows the colors to shimmer under direct light and gives the surface a luminous quality, as light travels through these glossy layers before reflecting back to the viewer.
I hope "Veritas Caput" conveys the tranquility and beauty of nature as I experienced it. The interplay of sunlight, shadows, and reflections invites viewers to step into a serene world and find their own moments of peace and inspiration.