Blooming tree, oil on wood 36X48
Original oil painting by Olena McMurtrey
 
I always felt mesmerized by violet trunks and white and pink blossoms of blooming orchards. I can spend days in cherry orchards making sketches and studies, and times would fly with the speed of light when I work on blooming trees in my studio. First, I build the oils' thickness to find the bloom's tonality. Then, small flowers with the same violet tone, yet many temperature differences, are set in the background of a very blue sky. Finally, the decorative scheme of orchards in blossom comes together through patches of heavily applied color, with some areas where the canvas is left almost untouched and unfinished.