SOLD Jill Carver - New Day (PLV90335B-0520-001)

New Day' is framed in a beautiful custom 22k floater style frame by Bryan Smith of Fort Collins. It was the perfect partner for this painting. Overall dimensions in its frame are: 38 3/4 x 38 3/4 inches. This piece was awarded the Gold Medal (Artist's Choice) for Best in Show, Maynard Dixon Country 2014. From Jill Carver: 'New Day' has been many years in the making; from an early morning dog walk about four years ago when I first snapped some iPhone shots, to earlier this year when the same atmosphere and conditions miraculously re-emerged. It was time to capture it in paint! As well as the lure of a beautiful cloudy sunrise, I was struck by how the shapes and patterns of snow were so instructive as to what lay beyond the young dense aspen grove; the valley floor itself and the rolling foothills leading up towards Silver Creek Valley. At one point I was going to entitle it, 'The Way Through', because of that sense, but then since this piece was completed during the pandemic, I thought 'New Day' both summed up the optimism I always feel upon waking up, and the sense that, as the result of the changes that will emerge from this experience, perhaps we will embark upon a different journey - a more positive one. It was also somewhat of an experimental piece for me. I have been exploring blending the techniques of watercolor (which was my first medium) and oil paint. This piece was created using a multitude of layers completed over several months. The first layer was blocked in using masking fluid so that I could block out the many aspen trees and concentrate on establishing the shapes and patterns beyond first. Many subsequent layers built up a variety of colors, edges, depth, hardness, and softness. I like to leave a little of each layer in its entirety in some hidden place in the painting so that the 'process' can be recorded and witnessed - much more exciting to see that evidence. For those fellow art geeks, it was painted using a limited palette of phthalo blue, permanent alizarin crimson (plus a little cadmium red) and yellow ochre; amazing the range one can achieve from those few colors! You will notice how I moved from luminous blue aspen trunks on the left hand-side through to warmer tones on the right. I think that gives it a little more depth. This piece is definitely a personal favorite.