Texas Nocturne

Texas Night Road. Oil on Linen Panel. 12 x 24.

In April I spent a week in northeast Texas. It was a beautiful time of year to be there as it was warming up, but not too much, and the sunsets were dense and thick and framed by beautiful trees. In the early morning the mist rose from the hay fields. One evening a friend took me for a drive to see the sunset and moon on the night roads in the area. The highway headed west appeared to stretch on forever. It brought back a lot of memories.

I lived in Biloxi Mississippi - in a trailer park surrounded by tree stumps, a swamp and snakes - from age 2 to 6. That may sound alarming but I loved it. The dense feel of the air, the glimpse of the sky through the thick vegetation, the sound of so much life in the woods.

These days I live in the north, just south of Vancouver BC. The air is crisp and clear and it's been humid once in the 22 years I've lived here. There are no june bugs - nor any bugs - on my screen door.

I miss the feel and sounds of a southern night. This painting captures that for me.

Here's an early blog post of the painting where you can see the underpainting.

Comments

Deborah Paris said…
Very evocative piece Lisa. I thought of you last night. We were sitting out on the patio and as the sun went down, the fireflies came out and the gentle cacophony of frogs and crickets filled the air.
June 1, 2010 at 7:25 AM
Lisa McShane said…
Oh that sounds completely lovely Deborah!
June 1, 2010 at 12:28 PM
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