Memory in Passing

Memory in Passing

Pastel on Watercolor Paper, 7x5 

Some years ago I passed this scene in my car.  I was so impressed at that time, that I painted it as soon as I could.  Over time, the painting was given away, but I saw it again last month when visiting relatives, and the inspiration flooded back, and I painted it again mostly from memory.  I selected a cool palette to convey the sense of distance and dreamyness of the mountain lake and stream.  I started this as a watercolor, but the intensity and width of the value range led me to turn to pastels.  Since it is on cold pressed paper, the texture of the paper dictated the looseness of the execution.