Hidden in the Trees – Painting of the Week

Connecting the Darks

The concept for Hidden in the Trees haunted me for four full years before I finally brought it to the canvas.

Inspired by an early morning sunrise at the Bye cottage on Pelican Lake just as the ice had cleared, this piece captures that comforting, retreat-like feeling of being safely hidden away at the lake.

To create the atmosphere, I focused on an unusual balance of dark silhouettes and glowing light. Achieving the stained-glass quality in the sky took endless patience—mixing, layering, and re-mixing subtle colors to capture the dawn glow.

After joining the silhouetted branches and the strong structure of the house, the composition felt like it needed something more dynamic. Taking a bold risk, I drizzled rich, varied shades of brown across the canvas, twisting and turning it to let the paint flow naturally. Re-painting over the sky and building again brought it all together, revealing deep, luminous variations in color and texture. It was a terrifying process mid-creation, but the final layered depth was worth every step.

P.S. To capture the subtle color changes, Hidden in the Trees – was photographed before a satin varnish was applied adding to its beautiful paint quality.