Sergei Bongart’s advice to study nature, exaggerate light and be less inhibited (the quote I posted here on Friday) is more than a little to blame for this painting which I started on Friday morning and finished off on Saturday afternoon. It is based on one of the photographs I took during our DC-3 flight over Christchurch last year.
Because I wanted to exaggerate the landscape, I decided to go with a fairly adventurous palette (inspired by, among others, the late, great Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s ‘Blobs grow in beloved gardens’ 1975 and ‘Green town’ 1978.
But where did the red hills come from? Well, the bright red is my complementary exaggeration of the dark green trees. And the sheep? That was my way of introducing a calm focal point ― something to suggest that perhaps the hills were not on fire : )
Anna Cull ~ Art & Music 
Love the red, and the sheep! 🍩
Thanks, Sharon : )
Very nice. Reminds me of some landscape paintings of Emil Nolde and other expressionists of that time who used to have a similar attitude to colour.
Thanks. And thanks for the name — I’ll have to do some research into his paintings : )
He belongs to the movement of expressionism that was strong in Germany in the first part of the 20th century.
I really like the exaggeration of the reds in this, Anna. More than that, though, I like looking at your brushstrokes that shaped this landscape. You actually traveled those rolling hills with your hand and brush.
Thank you, Leslie. The funny thing is that I thought people would think I was mad — painting red hills ; ) It seems something has shifted in the way I see things!
I’m very glad you like it.
You are getting so much ‘freer’ in your painting style – I like it!
Yes, freeeeeeee… and already planning the next adventure… possibly another one of Hamurana Springs?
Thanks, Amberley Anglican : )
Very inspiring Anna ! I love your colour interpretation here … beautifully bold .
I’d rather like to try something along the same lines with an attempt of the French landscape we found ourselves in during the summer … but I’ll see …
I hope you do try something bold with your French landscape. I’d love to see it. These red and green hills feel like a very personal statement and I thoroughly enjoyed pushing myself to ‘see’ them and paint them this way — giving myself permission to go a bit crazy (like I need permission!). I’m really glad you like it.