Autumn, Peck Hollow

Autumn, Peck Hollow, acrylic on canvas, 12”x24” © 2024 D. Yael Bernhard

Sometimes a painting jumps to the top of the pile. I still have autumn landscapes in mind from last year’s foliage season, yet somehow this scene from just a few days ago jumped ahead of all the other paintings lined up in my head, waiting to manifest. It’s not a new scene, either – Peck Hollow is a familiar place in my life, a favorite dirt road with deciduous forests, open fields, mountain views, and a shady hemlock ravine. Somehow this particular view caught my eye. It was the contrast between the line of bare trees in front of the patchwork colors of the mountain, with the late afternoon Catskill Mountain light slanting across the scene. While my dog investigated scents among the leaves, I took a quick photo.

Then a small miracle took place: a time slot opened up in which I could work on this painting. When the right size canvas showed up in my basement, I took it as a sign. I was determined to paint at least one autumn landscape before all the leaves fall. Driving around these mountains for the past three weeks has filled me with inspiration. Mountain views change rapidly, merely by driving a short distance or sometimes just moving a few feet. That makes for many beautiful angles and views. Sometimes I feel like I’m driving through a painting, so lovely are the textured gradients of the trees.

I could just about paint this scene from memory, but the photo provided helpful cues. Landscape painting requires intense concentration, as every brushstroke affects the entire composition. You must observe the effect of every part on the whole. Building up the textures of trees without overdoing it is extremely challenging. You must play close attention! Nature is both rhythmic and irregular. Trees are both similar and unique. One most evoke more than articulate – so I gleaned from the Post-Impressionist masters who spoke to me through their uncanny ability to capture a subject just so, transforming it into something more, something that imparts the feeling and mood of a place, the scent of the breeze, the season, even the human experience of the place. How do they do it? I wonder as I take another stab with my brush, ever dabbling in trial and error.

When it comes to landscape painting, I’ll always feel like a beginner. All the more fitting, I thought as I was teaching a homeschoolers’ art class this week. We drove past Peck Hollow to the tiny town of Pine Hill, where we found a peaceful lakeside scene nestled against a long spur of Bellayre Mountain. The entire ridge was lit up with autumn colors – spectacular! It was an exercise in mixing colors (which we shared, thus the identical palettes) and learning to articulate the textures of the forest. It took two sessions to bring these small gouache paintings to completion. I think the boys did a terrific job.

A good week to all!

D. Yael Bernhard

https://dyaelbernhard.com

Have you seen my other Substack, The Art of Health? In addition to being a visual artist, I’m also a certified integrative health & nutrition coach with a lifelong passion for natural food cooking and herbal medicine. Now in its second year, this illustrated newsletter explores cutting-edge concepts of nutrition. I strive to make relevant information clear and accessible, and to anchor essential health concepts in unique images. Check it out, and if you like it, please subscribe and help spread the word. Your support keeps my work going!