More small studies

Knights Valley landscape (untitled study), © 2010 Karen Lynn Ingalls

Here are a couple more small studies painted on gessoed masonite.... These are in the neighborhood of 8"x10".

Both were painted from photographs I took in Knights Valley, during autumn, a few years ago. For some reason, I'd never printed out any of the photos of that day.

Knights Valley trees and vineyard (untitled study), © 2010 Karen Lynn Ingalls

I remember the drive; it was already late afternoon when I began, and I scurried to take as many photos as I could before I lost the light. I was standing, with my camera, on a stepladder in the road — a lightly traveled road — photographing a vineyard, when a truck pulled up beside me, and the fellow inside said, "Turn around! The moon is rising!"

There, behind me, a full moon rose behind Mt. St. Helena. From then on, I photographed the rising moon. I haven't painted it, and don't know that I will. Not all photographs call to me to be painted. But what a beautiful experience....