acrylic on board11x14
Old Fort Park is on the Indian River in Fort Pierce, FLA. The fort was built during the Seminole Indian Wars in the early 1800's out of palm trees, which did not hold up to the damp weather and time. The park is very small but is the site of many cabbage palms and live oak trees. The swirling, gnarly, overlapping limbs of the pines remind me of Medusa's hair and comprise an interesting contrast to the tall, almost willowy stature of the pines. . The fern-like growth on the limbs is called ressurection fern, because in the spring it changes color from a dead looking brown to bright green.The extreme diagonal growth of these pines cause me to wonder how they remain standing.
I set up my paints in the morning sun and looked across the the bright blue Indian River at sun- drenched condos with orange roofs and soft blue-gray shadows--It was so pleasant painting that morning.
