Early Spring

This is a piece that is a contemporary approach to one of my all-time favorite painters - Dwight Tryon, from the early 1900's.  The landscape is from a trip to Virginia and a theme I have explored from a tonal point of view many times over.  I am working almost exclusively with palette knives and using paint in a way I have never applied before.  My goal is to work very spontaneously, making quick decisions once the painting starts.  I've been doing thumbnails first to fine tune the composition, deciding on a basic palette and them diving in.  Rather than overwork, I'm trying to allow the spirit of the piece to come through and leave it be.  That might be the biggest challenge, as I've been knows to rework a painting a dozen times.  Like I stated previously, I have no idea where this is going to take me, but the process is keeping me excited and passionate!