This large painting is titled “Awakened Hope.” It seemed a fitting title for the painting I’ve been working on during the transition from one year to the next. Because of the sunny colors and the feeling of openness in the space between the towering trees, it gives me the feeling of light flooding into a new day, a fresh start, a renewed purpose.
By painting the forest in these somewhat unnatural colors–(these shades of cranberry red, violet and turquoise aren’t usually seen in this setting in real life)–my intent was to use color as a tool to express the welling-up of emotion that is hopefulness. The colors sing! In this bright and open space we can imagine a brief rest where we pause to wipe the slate clean. Then, feeling renewed, we can embark once again on our journey–pushing forward onto the next leg of the hike.
Regardless of what others see–everyone sees different meanings in art–this is the meaning I see in this image, and it gives me a feeling of strength!
Awakened Hope. 36″ x 36″, Oil on Wood, © 2015 Cedar Lee
I need this strength now, as my family is about to go through an intentionally created change. After much deliberation and weighing of options, my family has made the decision to sell our home and move on to another big adventure! While we naturally have mixed feelings, we are also very excited about what is to come! I do not yet know the particulars of where/when, but I will share the news as it comes in.
I will be taking a brief hiatus from work in the studio to focus on cleaning, house-painting, packing, and the logistics of moving.
Right after completing this painting, unsure how much more artwork I would be able to create in this studio before our move, I had a quick “Artist in Her Studio” photo shoot done. Here you can see Awakened Hope plus several of my other most recently completed large-scale paintings–the oil colors all still in varying stages of drying in the studio.
Artist Cedar Lee in her painting studio with her large-scale oil paintings of the redwood forest. January 2015.
Artist Cedar Lee in her painting studio with her large-scale oil paintings of the redwood forest. January 2015.
These pictures really show the impressive scale of this 3-foot painting. I can’t wait to see how it looks hung on the wall of a home!
Artist Cedar Lee in her painting studio, January 2015, with her large-scale oil painting of the redwood forest, Awakened Hope. 36″ x 36″, Oil on Wood, © 2015 Cedar Lee.
Artist Cedar Lee in her painting studio, January 2015, with her large-scale oil painting of the redwood forest, Awakened Hope. 36″ x 36″, Oil on Wood, © 2015 Cedar Lee.
Artist Cedar Lee in her painting studio, January 2015, with her large-scale oil painting of the redwood forest, Awakened Hope. 36″ x 36″, Oil on Wood, © 2015 Cedar Lee.
Artist Cedar Lee in her painting studio, January 2015, with her large-scale oil painting of the redwood forest, Awakened Hope. 36″ x 36″, Oil on Wood, © 2015 Cedar Lee.
