I painted this canvas on a stretcher assembled by my assistant in the studio. An "Arles"-type cotton canvas was stretched and prepared with 2 coats of gesso and one coat of titanium-white acrylic.
The darker, intense orange surface is covered with a high-quality acrylic gloss varnish.
In the height of summer, I watch the day gently come into view from my studio. The first light of dawn is like the soft notes of a cello awakening sleepy nature, while the sky gradually blossoms, evoking the promise of a day to come. These are my favorite times of day to paint.
In this summer metaphor, the dawning day embodies hope, possibility and renewal.
It's an invitation to embrace the light, to welcome opportunities with an open heart.
So, to contemplate the coming day in the clearest of summer is to seize the present moment with gratitude and wonder.