Plein air painting; "Falling leaves on Wilmington Ave."

It's been a wet couple of days here in Richmond, so I'm glad I went out eariler in the week to paint some of the autumn colors in my Northside neighborhood. This little fall street scene vignette was done on location not too far from where I live:

"Falling Leaves on Wilmington Avenue" Oil on Canvas, 6x8" ©Jennifer Young

For this plein air painting, I set my easel up just in front of a lovely row of blazing orange-red maple trees in front of Ginter Park Baptist Church. The view looks down Wilmington Avenue to the cross-section where it meets Brook Road.

Just at the end ofWilmington on Brook sits the suggestion of a neighboring home. All that was visible through the canopy of trees was a bit of hedge, and then beyond that a front door flanked by two columns.

I think these elements give the eye a place to rest. But the main attraction for me was, of course, the color of those leaves and the patterns of morning light and shadow that fell across the road.