There’s something about starting a painting without a clear plan that I love because you never know where it will end up.
I began this one as a simple tree study—just focusing on branches, shape, and the fun, colorful patterns of the tree bark. But somewhere along the way, I started to see something else forming. At first it was just a suggestion… and then suddenly, there it was—a dog, tucked into the lines of the tree.
It’s funny how that happens.
Once I saw it, I couldn’t unsee it. So I followed it. One dog turned into another, and then another, until the whole piece shifted into something entirely different. What started as a tree became Dog Wood—a kind of hidden world where blue dogs are woven into the branches.
The blue came naturally. It felt a little dreamlike, a little playful, and just slightly unexpected against the structure of the tree. So far the dogs are obvious, and I’m wondering if I should add some that are more subtle—the kind you almost have to sit with it for a moment before they start to appear. I will have to keep working on it and see.
I love when a painting does that. When it changes direction on its own and becomes something I didn’t plan, but somehow feels more right because of it.
This one still feels like it’s unfolding, but I’m enjoying seeing where it wants to go. I will post an update after it is finished. I do like the title so far “Dog Wood” as I love a play on words but I might add to it to make it more lyrical. I will have to wait until it is done and see what comes to me.