Yosemite Valley Painting by Rob Miller (final Draft)
Yosemite Valley Acrylic on Canvas 61 cm x 123 cm
I think that there is nothing more daunting for an artist than taking the final steps of a commission especially when the commissioners, in this case a young executive couple who are no strangers to art have been eagerly awaiting its arrival. The subject matter that they selected from their honeymoon tour of some of Americas National parks was an inspirational image of Yosemite Valley that Paul shot after a long and hard drive. The landscape he said, was amazing, "once you have climbed steeply out of the valley through many rock tunnels etc , you come out into the open to a sublime view". A full length, image of that breath taking valley, Yosemite. Painting that wild and barren, sublime landscape in a way that represents its sheers size and scale is itself an onerous but enjoyable task. In doing so, I had to rely mostly on my personal knowledge of high mountains from walks that I had undertaken in the Alps and Norway along with these words from Wordsworth.
"Over the dark abyss, intent to hear
Its voices issuing forth to silent light
In one continuous stream; a mind sustained
By recognitions of transcendent power,
In sense conducting to ideal form,
In soul of more than mortal privilege.
One function, above all, of such a mind
Had Nature shadowed there, by putting forth,
'Mid circumstances awful and sublime,
That mutual domination which she loves"
Wordsworth The prelude section 79/80
I think that there is nothing more daunting for an artist than taking the final steps of a commission especially when the commissioners, in this case a young executive couple who are no strangers to art have been eagerly awaiting its arrival. The subject matter that they selected from their honeymoon tour of some of Americas National parks was an inspirational image of Yosemite Valley that Paul shot after a long and hard drive. The landscape he said, was amazing, "once you have climbed steeply out of the valley through many rock tunnels etc , you come out into the open to a sublime view". A full length, image of that breath taking valley, Yosemite. Painting that wild and barren, sublime landscape in a way that represents its sheers size and scale is itself an onerous but enjoyable task. In doing so, I had to rely mostly on my personal knowledge of high mountains from walks that I had undertaken in the Alps and Norway along with these words from Wordsworth.
"Over the dark abyss, intent to hear
Its voices issuing forth to silent light
In one continuous stream; a mind sustained
By recognitions of transcendent power,
In sense conducting to ideal form,
In soul of more than mortal privilege.
One function, above all, of such a mind
Had Nature shadowed there, by putting forth,
'Mid circumstances awful and sublime,
That mutual domination which she loves"
Wordsworth The prelude section 79/80
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