by Tommy Thompson

It has often been said that there are undiscovered diamonds right under our noses if we will only look and observe closely. We have discovered a "diamond" near Cloverdale, Alabama--this meadow is located on a farm that has turned out to be a painter's paradise, with a masterpiece-in-the-making at almost every turn. I painted a field study of this meadow onsite while young deer played hide-and-seek with me. Back in the studio, I used the small field study and reference digital photographs displayed on my computer screen to produce this larger piece. Drawing on my observation of the work of the famous wildlife artist, the late Lanford Monroe , I employed her technique of obscurely inserting wildlife into landscapes. I discreetly placed two of the playful deer in this piece. 

This 18" x 24" oil on canvas painting sells for $1,295.00 and has been selected for the Gallery Show of Arts Alive at the Kennedy Douglass Center for the Arts in Florence, Alabama.  This juried exhibition is scheduled for May 19-June 19, 2007.