The Wee Hours, New Daily Oil Painting

The Wee Hours
Mark Nesmith
Oil on Canvas on Panel
8" x 10"
2014
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Hay bales are a common sight in Texas.  Venture outside the city limits on a FM road or highway and you're bound to pass fields and pastures full of them.  They're not at all like the fluffy stacks of Monet's rural France countryside.  Hay bales make an interesting geometric contrast to the organic and free form nature of the Texas landscape.

This is a stretch of pasture I pass often on Hwy 124 near Fannett, Tx.  The night before had seen heavy cloud cover and was pretty much a dreary, overcast and stormy day, but the sun would not be denied its' glory in the morning. 

I love times like this, when the sun comes breaking through the clouds casting its' magical, golden glow across the world.  The greens take on such a unique quality, almost glowing like an emerald.  The light can seem otherworldly and eerie after a storm, and the brilliant sunrise on this day just added to the intensity of the light.

I started this painting Thursday.  I often work on these little paintings throughout the day at work, catching a few minutes here and there between classes or at lunch.  It's my little bit of fresh air during the day of teaching.  I had a pretty good start on this painting, having laid in the clouds and the sky, when we got word of the winter storm and impending school closure the next day.  Needless to say, I didn't get to finish working on this painting until today. 

I usually don't like to have such a delay, particularly on small paintings like this one.  I sometimes find a delay like that causes a disjointed effect in the work.  I'm inevitably in a different frame of mind than before, but for whatever reason I found it quite easy to pick back up on this painting today. 

I really enjoy the contrast of the clouds and the bright sunrise, and the greens are even more intense in person.  I'm pretty happy with this little painting, and think maybe I'll have to try my hand at a few more hay bales before long.  Who knows, maybe they'll even turn into a series like the famous French master.

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