haiku

Trees

final painting of a row of trees with green grass in the foreground and soft blue mountains in the distance, presented in the context of a line-drawn living room to give an idea of the size
| Anna Cull
final painting of a row of trees with green grass in the foreground and soft blue mountains in the distance, presented in the context of a line-drawn living room to give an idea of the size
‘A Conversation with Trees’ acrylic on canvas, 305 x 610 mm, 2024. Available.

Sunlight gathers; leaves,
Deep in conversation, turn
Autumn evergreen.

  • the photo reference that inspired the painting: a typical New Zealand landscape of sheep, green grass and a line of trees
    Photo reference
  • work in progress tonal underpainting in grey, white and yellow ochre
    WIP 1
  • work in progress adding colour and details to the landscape
    WIP 2
  • work in progress adding more colour and details to the landscape
    WIP 3
  • final painting on canvas
    Final

This is a scene I’ve painted before ~ both with and without sheep. I love the shapes and the colours, and I love that it is so typically New Zealand. ‘A Conversation with Trees’ will also be part of my exhibition in June. Details coming next month.

Clouds

final painting of low clouds over bushy green hills, blue mountains in the distance and three power poles on the left in the foreground, presented in the context of a line-drawn living room to give an idea of the size
| Anna Cull
‘A Conversation with Clouds’ acrylic on canvas, 305 x 610 mm, 2024. SOLD

Whispers of low cloud
Come and go with the sunrise:
A perfect morning.

  • Photo reference
  • WIP 1
  • WIP 2
  • WIP 3
  • Final
‘A Conversation with Clouds’ detail
‘A Conversation with Clouds’ detail

I am saving this one for June’s exhibition ~ it looks so much better in person than in the photos. I will post details of the exhibition a little closer to the time.

Snowclouds

final two paintings side by side shown in the context of a line-drawn living room to give an idea of the size
| Anna Cull

Heavier than air
Clouds as white as falling snow
Cover the mountains.

‘Snowclouds I’ acrylic on canvas, 305 x 305 mm, 2023. Available.
‘Snowclouds II’ acrylic on canvas, 305 x 305 mm, 2023. Available.

No, it’s not snowing in New Zealand in summer (although I seem to recall that it did once ~ a long, long time ago ~ on Christmas Day❄️). I just felt like painting snow.

“Apparently there is nothing that cannot happen.”

Mark Twain

What Goes Around…

acrylic painting on small canvas of Dunedin, houses and trees
| Anna Cull
‘What Goes Around…’ acrylic on canvas, 205 x 205 mm, 2023. Available.

The view from the top
Of a hill in a small town
Was another hill.

Dunedin photo reference, 2013

I find Dunedin’s beautiful architecture endlessly interesting ~ there’s so much character and variety in those houses… and you know how I love to paint trees!

Small Paintings of Big Trees

acrylic painting on small canvas of tall trees in a semi-abstract style
| Anna Cull
‘Redwoods I’ acrylic on canvas, 150 x 150 mm, 2023. Available.

Giants with branches
That try but never quite touch
The scattered blue sky.

‘Redwoods II’ acrylic on canvas, 150 x 150 mm, 2023. Available.

I never get tired of painting the Hamurana Springs redwoods and have plans to paint larger versions of these small studies in the not too distant future. I have so many paintings planned though (I’ve just bought half a dozen canvases because the sales are on ~ and I’m about to buy half a dozen more), I think these two may have to wait until next year. So if it’s a little quiet on the blog, it’s only because I’m busy painting.

“Making a different mistake every day is not only acceptable, it is the definition of progress.”

Robert Brault