In the Clearing

Commissioned Piece - NFS

9x12 Acrylic on canvas panel

This home is part of the 1934 series and was requested by the homeowner. The home today looks very similar. It's been updated with vinyl siding and the windows have been replaced with more efficient ones. But the molding at the top peaks and the front porch still exist. And, of course, the plantings and trees are taller and fuller, creating a more lush scene. But back in the 1930s, when some of these homes were built, all trees were removed to make room for the buildings. Not to mention that much of the land was being used for farming.

I thought of adding a full background of trees - similar to how it looks today. But I felt that would not be true to the era of this home. Therefore, I added clouds to make the sky more active. Leaving it as only a blue sky was too bland, and tiny wisps of clouds were not enough. So I worked the sky until I felt comfortable with it. I think it helps to balance the scene somewhat.

Did you notice the lattice on the side of the porch? That is something you don't see today, but were common little touches to these homes back in the 1930s.  The original photo is b/w, so I got to choose the colors for this one. I opted for a dark green on the top and the white/cream on the bottom. Both colors are true to the timeframe. But I did notice in the old photo that the windows & door were a dark color. I could have made them brown, and they probably were brown, but the red seemed to add that punch of color I needed to the scene.