BRIAN MAHIEU - Last Snowfall - Quinalt, Olympic Coast Series, Oil on Canvas, 30 X 40 X 1.5 inches

On this cold February day, Lars and I hiked in a dry riverbed at Lake Quinault. The warm russet colors of the alders glowed against the Douglas firs and snowy foreground. In the distance, forest-covered mountains receded in rank after rank dissolving into the wintry skies. In my painting, the distant line of trees are a poignant, glowing pink against the marine blue mountains that sink back into the snowy mist, creating a strong sense of longing for me. Many have used the word “haunting” to describe the evocative quality of my paintings. I love that description. Van Gogh said he wanted to paint “the soul of things” I certainly work to do that with the landscapes I evoke. 

This painting is particularly beautiful when viewed in dim natural light. It begins to look like a moonlit scene as the light fades.