Last November’s Summer - Red Tree

The Last Summer of November, is a painting inspired by an early morning sail on Lake Ontario. 

What fascinated me the most about this day was the way in which the fading moonlight and the early morning rays of the sun both converged to light the sky. After being inspired by the unseasonably warm weather, I created this composition using acrylic, oil stick, and paper on canvas. 

Centrally, a red maple tree sits glowing in the morning light, glistening with dew. The tree still bears its leaves, marks of the summer not long ago. I have grown up with a red maple tree in my front yard, climbing it since I was a young child. To me the maple represents freedom, adventure and passion for life. 

In the lower right a rising sun is shown. I have given its rays an orangish hue as its light reflects off the thickened atmosphere associated with global warming. I have also used the moon and blue hues in the upper left to convey the idea of the impending cooler temperatures only a few weeks away. I also wanted to painting to convey the idea of  the severe temperature variance that is predicted in the coming years as we march towards a warmer planet. 

As I was creating this piece, I also was thinking about the ultimate direction that we may be headed with global warming. If we have to leave planet earth will we every be able to find another planet as beautiful as this? 

With this last concept, I decided to add rings around the sun and the moon, to open the piece to a broader interpretation, leaving the viewer to wonder which planet the red maple is inhabiting. 

Size: 48 v inch x 60 h inch