Two newest paintings

These are my two latest pieces. The top is called "Sylvan Glow" and the one below is "Egret Island". Both paintings are exemplary of my interest into Luminism.  Painters such as Sanford Gifford, John Kensett, and Fredric Church, to name a few, were known for their poetic and glowy landscapes.

Beaver Pond Paradise

Beaver Pond Paradise, Oil/Canvas, 14"x18"
One of my favorite things to do in life is to travel and see areas not familiar to my everyday activities. And usually the road less traveled is particularly interesting, by far. A dirt road with a sign that says "Lost Forty Hiking Trail" sends us down to a parking area where you can get out and take nice groomed one mile trail through these tall, tall white and red pines, in northern Minnesota near Grand Rapids. This area is also within the Chippewa National Forest, which is a "north woods experience" that gorgeous Minnesota ads are made of. Remember the ads for the Hamm's Beer, as one example?
The story of this area can be read on this link to the Lost Forty Trail. The pine forest is 300-400 years old and it's amazing to walk beneath their tall trunks with branches dancing in the sky, high above, and listening to their gentle song in the summer breeze. In the location of this painting, I came upon a marshy bog on the outer fringes of the forest. So you won't particularly see the tall pines in this scene, nonetheless you will witness a bog and beaver dam in its true form....and there was not another human to be seen or a sound from our culture to be heard. It was heaven.
Susan Pizzini of Pennsylvania commented on this painting and she agreed that I can share this with you on my blog.....she writes,

 A simple scene tranquil and exciting even dramatic.  The tones of red colors and the way the sunlight touches the greens and water are just magnificent.  I mean this is not cultured land, just some weeds I guess with trees and yet it's a joy to behold the way you've captured it.  Every tree looks like a divine sculpture.  How do you do it?  This may be one of my favorites though not a flower in site.  The colors and lighting give me pleasure to see, a little reality with that taste of honey.  Very nice.  You must see what you have in this painting.  I've really enjoyed some of your work tremendously but this one, I can hardly put my finger on it, it's happy, soothing, but not just relaxing, but makes you want to participate.  I think it's very relatable too.  It's very distinct, nothing quite like this that I've ever seen.  You've made a simple scene spectacular.  I can't believe I like it so much when there are no animals in it and yet I think adding an animal would take away from it.

Thank you Susan for your kind remarks and for taking time to write about your observations about this painting. This painting is available through Michele Melina Studio.  Thank you for visiting my blog!

A Blue Ribbon Day, 14"x11", oil/canvas

For 8 years I  have been riding with Pat Jenson's horse riding school. She is located near Rockford, Minnesota, which is only 5 miles from my home. The horse school is renting land and facilities to house their 18 horses, mini horses and donkeys and a couple of goats. We get to ride over 250 acres of groomed trails. I have painted the property in numerous other paintings, its especially spectacular during the fall. We have open meadows, old growth forest, and a large wetland to ride through. Over hill and dale, you can see a group of riders on most any given day. This painting is a scene where we usually stop to see if we can catch a glimpse of the Trumpeter swans that nest there along with numerous other waterfowl. The horses snack while we gaze across the marsh and chit chat. Its become a very special place for me and its the time of my life to ride Beau, a handsome Tennessee Walker gelding.

Evening Mood, 12"x16", oil/canvas

The painting Evening Mood is from the same location as Sun Seeker, below.  Because I travel near or by this lake often, its familiar shores have become a special place for me to observe nature and weather conditions. The sun becomes cradled between these groups of trees and is quite picturesque during the warm months.