Linen on wood panel

Title: «The Commencement of Spring, Mt. San Jacinto» ABOUT ARTWORK: For years, I traveled by Mt. San Jacinto, always looking forward to seeing it. The mountain fascinated me not only by its visual and aesthetic aspects but also the natural ones. The desert below stays hot 4 to 5 months out the year, but the mountain rises above the harsh desert floor and keeps cool with snow most of the year. This slow snow melt keeps replenishing the springs and streams year-round, providing cool refreshment to the chosen parts of the desert, where palm-tree oases are found. But the most interesting part was that I was looking at layers of different climate zones and habitats unfolding in front of me. Each is unique in many ways, yet they work as a whole and cooperate perfectly according to their purpose. Thus, I expressed my perception of this harmonious union. In the winter of 2022 – 2023 we had plenty of rain. Already by February, the low desert came alive with wildflowers. As I was traveling to and from the other desert, painting in Lake Havasu in Arizona, I made sketches of Mt. San Jacinto, and by February, I was back to paint it. FRAMING & DISPLAY: This plein air painting is on Raphael brand panel, linen mounted on wood. The artwork is sold unframed, and therefore, it is not ready to display or hang. You may frame it in any style you like. However, I believe the artwork created in the traditions of the late 19th – early 20th centuries should be framed in the style of those days. For an additional charge of $300, I offer a luxurious custom Craftsman style frame, handcrafted in the USA, of quarter-sawn white oak. These frames are designed by me and made exclusively by two local craftsmen. The quarter-sawn oak doesn’t warp with time. This is why all major 19th and 20th-century furniture companies used it. Their furniture lasts for hundreds of years and is sought after by collectors. This early twentieth-century style frame not only complements my plein-air paintings in a classic and timeless way but adds to the distinction and value of each work. See an additional photo of this painting framed, and let me know if you would like to buy it this way. I will create a frame-only listing for you and combine shipping. I suggest displaying this work in natural, indirect light as this is the light it was created in, and the colors show how I planned it. You may need additional lighting if natural light is not enough. PROCESS & QUALITY: I use the Old Holland brand of oil paints, today’s highest quality oil medium, developed by the Dutch masters and proven by time. Each work is painted on oil-primed linen canvas mounted on wood board. Created by Raphael company specifically for professional oil painters, it offers high quality and durability. Combining these products ensures that your painting will not fade, and no hole can be poked in the canvas by accident or transport. The worst that can happen is a chip in the paint if the work gets hit straight on. In this case, contact me for restoration. As a rule, with all art, keep this painting away from direct sun and moisture. ABOUT ME: I am an internationally recognized plein air painter. ARC Salon recognized my work among the top 40 international plein air painters. Over the years, I also received recognition from Plein Air Salon, Fine Art Connoisseur, and Best of California Artist and Artisans. Like many masters of plein air painting before me, I work in the same traditions, on location and with the help of the academic training I received in Moscow, Russia. I spend little time in the studio, as most of my works are created en plein air, or outdoors. I teach plein air painting on location and academic drawing and painting classes at my studio in Topanga Canyon. I have a YouTube channel.