Authentically Human! Not Written by AI!
All Content Copyright © Michael Chesley Johnson AIS PSA MPAC

Thursday, December 1, 2016

New Painting: Autumn's Turn

Autumn's Turn
24x36 oil/canvas
Available through Goldenstein Gallery, Sedona, Arizona
928-204-1765
info@goldensteinart.com


This winter, I'm spending more time in the studio, working on larger projects.  I want to share with you the result of my latest project.

One of my very favorite spots on the planet is Red Rock Crossing in Sedona, Arizona.   The clear, cool snowmelt and spring water from the mountains and forests of northern Arizona descend through Oak Creek Canyon to this special place.  Here, the rushing waters widen and rest, lapping gently at shelves of red rock edged with graceful sycamore trees and gnarled cottonwood, all beneath the eternal gaze of Cathedral Rock.

For many years I've wanted to make a painting of what, to me, makes this place so special.  Although I love Cathedral Rock, for this piece I've chosen to keep its magnificence in the background and instead to give the creek center stage.  I've presented Red Rock Crossing as it appears in autumn, when the cottonwoods and willows are at their best color, and when the red rocks beneath the surface glow with a sympathetic light.  "Autumn's Turn" offers a window onto this restful place and time.

I chose to present this moment in a way that shows the full breadth of the creek without being impeded by a frame.  Although you could frame this 24 by 36 original oil painting, I have painted the edges of the canvas to create the illusion that the scene continues beyond its bounds.

"Autumn's Turn" is available only through Goldenstein Gallery in Sedona, as noted above.  This is a one-of-a-kind vision of Red Rock Crossing.  No reproductions of it will be made, so you will be guaranteed to have the one and only original.

Here is a video of the painting (can't see it? here's the link: https://youtu.be/jZ4aF3LTFN4 )