Crossroads

Crossroads is the first image in a series of paintings I just completed. This lonely old building sits on the edge of a pasture at the intersection of two county roads that stretch away in either direction outside of Lexington, VA. I knew when I saw it that I liked this old store or filling station as they used to be called. I look at the chimney and can imagine the smoke curling out of there on a freezing winter morning, I look at the space underneath the covered porch and wonder how a car could ever pull in there comfortably and I look at the siding that is falling away and think about the stories that were told around the pot bellied stove that probably sat in the middle of the floor. I have decided to paint this entire series with a limited palette of five colors. Burnt Umber, Ultramarine Blue, Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Yellow Pale and Flake White. Seems to be working well and I can supplement with the occasional spot of color as needed.