Keyhole in the Bamboo Forest, 4” x 4”, Gouache on watercolor paper

This was the first painting I did after deciding I wanted to move back to my old, more detailed style. Koreshan State Park is not too far from my home and has an enjoyable trail. It winds through the trees, following the river and towards the end opens up to this gigantic patch of bamboo - it’s quite bizarre because you’re not expecting it at all. As soon as I saw this opening that looked out to the water I knew this was the one.

Another detail I wanted to focus on was the intricate patterns of the wild snake plants. It was a challenge to paint the overlapping leaves in the patch to the bottom left. As was getting that perfect muted blue for the reflection of the trees in the water. Overall, it has become one of my favorite paintings to date. - R