2/8/08

INTIMATE ENCOUNTER

It was ten years ago, and I was sitting on my old wooden swing on our lower deck, sipping coffee, while drinking in the peaceful view of the late afternoon woods. A very slight movement near the bottom of the slope caught my eye.

When I looked closely, I was amazed to see, nearly hidden amidst all the foliage, one deer gently washing the neck of the other. I sat there entranced, in awe for being included in such a tender moment of nature.

The sun behind them lit up the scene better than any movie set could have. I captured it with my camera and couldn't wait to paint the special intimacy that I'd just encountered.

If I repainted this now, I think that same emotion would come out again, but I'd be able to use several more years of experience to create a better painting. Still, I felt good about capturing that almost hidden moment that I still relish.

"INTIMATE ENCOUNTER" Transparent Watercolor on 140#CP Fabriano Artistico 15 x 11" SOLD

7 comments:

Suzanne McDermott said...

This is a great work, Sandy! The light, the subject, the color, the camouflage. It's beautiful.

About said...

Lovely story...an absolutely gorgeous, light filled, tender, painting. You are the queen of capturing the light!

Dawn said...

Wow your woods are much brighter then our woods! I also can sit on the deck here and watch the deer. usually it is a doe and fawn giving each other neck licks. again love the lights!

Sandy Maudlin said...

Thanks, Suzanne and Tracy. Not sure about Queen of light - doesn't Kincaid have a corner on that title??? Kidding.
Our wooods in the afternoon are impossible to resist with the backlighting. Lots of strong sun. We have so may deer now that it's 'ho hum, another deer,' but our grandkids love seeing them everytime they're here.

Trijnie said...

Wonderful, great camouflage.

bbpryor said...

When I first saw it, I thought it was one of your wonderful abstracts, then I saw the deer!
Then noticed the light! beautiful! "Close Encounters of the Third Kind"

Mineke Reinders said...

What a beautiful painting! I love the colors, and the light coming through the trees, and the fact that you notice the deer only upon closer inspection. Lovely story, too.