“Autumn House”
Acrylic on Canvas (36″ x 24″)
© 2011 Jessica Lynn Creations

This acrylic painting on canvas is my long overdue effort to get back into painting while attempting to capture the realistic essence of the home I grew up in.

With my house currently on the market, I found it difficult to subject myself and my home to the scrutiny of outside observers who saw the house as something significantly different than the home that provided the foundation for treasured memories, imaginative game play, delicious meals, laughter, chaos and love. I wanted to capture my home in all its glory so I could rest assured that no matter where I am, I know where my heart will always be.

Using the entire canvas, I applied layers of acrylic paint to suggest each surface, each delicate design and each shadow. Despite the precise structural components of the home, I attempted to breathe in natural warmth with organic shapes, surrounding nature forms and shading. In addition, suggestions of autumn are demonstrated through the tones and hues in the surrounding foliage as well as subtle strokes suggesting fallen leaves.

The image is not portrayed at the typical straight-forward view, but rather on an angle in order to accentuate the large tree in the foreground and to allow the house to be less formally depicted. As your eye travels from the trees trunk to its branches and fine leaves, to the house windows, front porch and roof, and then to the grassy foreground and sky background, balance and movement allows the viewer to soak up the rich color variations and overall harmonious beauty of the simple house I call my safe refuge.