The Southern Live Oak

I've been working on a commission of a live oak tree on the marshes of Beaufort, South Carolina. This tree has special meaning to my client as it remains standing strong on land once owned by his family (land which has since been redeveloped). I LOVE painting trees, especially those with ancestral ties, so I was thrilled to take on this commission.

Live oaks are icons of the south, remaining green throughout the winter and focusing their energy on growing out, not up. They shed leaves once a year and only after new leaves have formed, hence it is always “live.” The oldest live oaks in the country are estimated to be between several hundred to over a thousand years old. (National Wildlife Federation, Southern Live Oak)

For this painting I'm focusing my palette on Cryla and Liquitex sap green, terra verte, prussian blue, burnt umber, teal, and pthalo green. These paints have strong pigment for added richness and vibrancy, and a thick, buttery consistency which lends itself well to my impasto palette knife technique.

Tools of my trade:

Painting Round 1:

Painting Round 2:

Final painting is complete!

Prints available for sale here.

See coastal artwork on Fine Art America: coastal paintings

Follow my blog with Bloglovin