Susten Pass

We’ve arrived at last at the Summer of 2018, when something clicked and I started churning out some pieces that I could be genuinely proud of.  I’d decided to take a three and a half month break during the summer to recharge my mind and body after two years of back to back contracts.  And I got back into painting after a break of almost four years.

Years ago when on a work trip to Switzerland I picked up a book that was filled with photos of Swiss scenery.  I thought it would provide some good ideas for paintings.  And I had used it for paintings back in the pre-Facebook days, days from which my clunkers were never recorded.  This painting is based on a photo in that book of Susten Pass.

I think the best word to describe this painting is “encouraging”.  I was really pleased with the mountains at the back.  And the red, yellow and blue colours work well in a foreground that wouldn’t look out of place on the cover of a paperback.  I guess the tree’s not a disaster either but the rock behind it sticks out like a sore thumb.

This one’s not been framed and I think it’s just sitting in my folder.  I may at some point crop out a strip with the mountains, laminate it and use it as a bookmark.

Edit (May 2020): actually, I’m cutting it up to use as collage material.