Kids on a Raft

Artist: Gretchen Kirstel           Medium: Oil on Canvas                    Date:1975               Size: 34" X 28"

In this original painting, the main subject is the landscape, with the scenic elements-the children looking off in the far distance-providing a connection between man and nature.  The children, with their backs to the viewer, give the impression of wanting to take off on the raft like Tom Sewyer.  Backpacking in the Colorado mountains, has had a profound  impact on the artist, and inspired her to paint many landscapes.  Kids on a Raft was painted from a photograph of her own children while a hiking. The stillness of the day is caught in the mirror reflection in the lake, and atmosphere is captured by using softer values of blue in the mountains and sky.  This painting is a timeless treasure.

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