The Mighty Tree

The Mighty Tree may be only 5" x 5", but it knows how to fill a landscape. A leafy green tree rises beside a winding purple-blue stream, with lively grasses and shrubs gathered around its base. Pale blue and white strokes skim across the sky, giving the scene a breezy, open feel.

I painted this small oil landscape with a palette knife, using thick, energetic marks to bring out the movement in the foliage, water, and sky. The bold colors and textured surface give the little scene plenty of presence—proof that a mighty view doesn’t need a mighty canvas.