Impression of a Tree

IMPRESSIONIST TREE by Sea Dean after Claude Monet 22” x 28” Gallery Wrap

This is my attempt at a rather obscure study by Claude Monet.

At Art School we were instructed to learn from the masters by painting their work and it is truly the only way to understand their technique. As I was painting this I discovered more and more about what inspired Monet and how he made his paintings appear simple, but including so many colors. I think this must be a later work, because he used large brushes and painted rapidly. He seemed unconcerned about covering the entire canvas with paint. I discovered that painting fast was the only way to recreate this piece.

On show at Lake Country Coffee House until May 18th
The Coffee House has new owners and extended hours, so head out on the rail trail and take a detour to this great venue for a latte and lunch.

Bottom Wood Lake Road, Lake Country, BC, Canada
behind Lake Country Art Gallery, which currently has a wonderful pet portrait exhibition

Monet (original below) has inspired so many artists. As I painted this, I ruminated that so many of the artists I admire paint in this indistinct way, Jackson Pollock being one. One could make an argument that Monet was the inspiration for the abstract movement, certainly zooming in on his work reveals pure abstract form.