I once had a teacher who said "If the painting is not about the sky, do not make a big or real interesting sky"  He said the same rule applies for the FG & BG.  For me there is too much sky and not emough landscape.  It appears to be a vertical painting which implies strength.  I think the scene would work better horizontaly, putting the strength into the development or the FG and the mountains more.  Just my opinion

Hey everyone, don't miss out on the "Paint this" in the Landscape category of the Forum.

This painting seems to be about movement. A nice lyric quality in the repeated curves.  

Old Paint, thanks for the heads-up on the Paint This.  I'm going to give it a try.  I'm a deadline person myself, so this is a great project for me.  

Just curious!  Why cant the painting be about the sky?  Anyone who has taken a class from Gerald Brommer would know and appreciate this.  Of course, one should stand out more than the other, but I believe it does in this painting.  I believe the Sandias are in New Mexico and there are magnificent skies there.

Jan, yes, the Sandia mountains are in New Mexico.  This view is from my backyard in Albuquerque, and you're right, the skies go on forever here.  Sometimes, the cloud formations, sunsets and sunrises take my breath away.  I guess that's why I'm doing so many paintings with this subject matter.

Thank you, everyone, for your comments.  I appreciate them all.

Jan---I guess I would have to ask lydia --- is the subject of this painting the sky or the mountains?  To me the painting says it's a sky painting.  A painting can certainly be about the sky, but the title indicates differently.  Lots and lots of sky in this painting. I find to my eyes the sky conflicts with the mountains.  A painting should not have 2 centers of interest.  Normally the brightest colors are put at the center of interest -- the brightest colors in this painting are in the sky.

My main goal for this painting was showing the way the light lit up the valley just below the mountains, as well as showing an interesting sky.  I didn't think about the sky competing with the mountains (didn't know that was an issue, but I'm learning).  Instead, I saw the mountains as a contrast to the light and the sky showing the source of the light.  I also just wanted to paint some clouds ;-)

All in all you did a very good job with both the sky and clouds.  I live in New Mexico as well, and we are blessed with beautiful sunrises, sunsets and most every day of the week.  To me and I'm no expert, the mountains and sky are competing with one another - I see a conflict between the two.

Richard, I really appreciate your comments (as well as everyone else's). One of the problems I had with this painting was pushing the mountains into the distance.  Once I started painting, they popped a bit more than I wanted, but wasn't sure how to correct it.  I like the painting, but I know there is room for improvement and that's why I posted it. I'm learning a lot.

BTW - The original name was going to be "Looking Out My Back Door," but it was too long for the description.  Now I realize that naming a painting can be very important in how someone perceives it.

Thanks again.

Lydia