Hello friends! I’m back again and working on getting more consistent with sharing new pieces. This new year has been interesting, to say the least, but the brushes are moving. The Falls is painting #87 and is a Maine landscape painting inspired and named after the waterfall that leads to this little area.

Here, the water slows just enough for you to take in the scenery or maybe even cast a fishing line. As you’re enjoying the quiet, a moose steps out of the forest for a drink.

The Inspiration

Like many of my pieces, this is a Maine landscape painting. During a trip last May, I hiked out to Mariaville Falls along the Union River. The trail has several spots where you can walk right down to the riverbank and fish. I stopped at a few of them and had great luck catching smallmouth bass. I also snapped a bunch of photos along the way — one of those photos became the foundation for this painting.

I didn’t see a moose, though. Oddly enough, I’ve never seen one in real life.

Notes From the Easel

I started working on this painting back in July of 2019. A little ways through it and I just wasn’t feeling it so I ditched it. I got about this far before calling it quits. Since I was streaming that night, I quickly switched gears and painted Bonita Bay 2.

Fast forward to November. I just finished Autumn Covered Bridge which was a multi-day painting, and I was feeling inspired. I came across this unfinished painting and decided to give it another shot. I added a few details to the landscape and adding highlights to finish it off but something was missing. There was a large empty area. I thought “why not add some wildlife like you’ve always wanted to do.” That’s when I decided to try to add a moose.

As you’ve seen, landscapes are my wheelhouse. Additional things like wildlife and man made structures don’t typically make an appearance in my paintings. Using a reference picture of a moose, I just went for it! Sometimes you just gotta jump in the deep end to learn to swim. That’s what I did with the moose.

Tips and Techniques

If you’ve painted with Bob Ross before, you know his style uses a lot of paint and some pretty large brushes. For the moose, I switched to the small brushes I use for my mini paintings. I picked up a pack of angular brushes. It came with various size brushes that came in handy for coloring and shading. I also used linseed oil to help the paint flow better.

I wish I had pro‑level advice for painting wildlife, but I’m still learning too. What helped me was sticking to the basics:

• Start with the darks
• Work your way lighter
• Take your time
• Let layers set up before adding more

Sometimes things just click when you’re in the moment.

Final Thoughts

The finished painting ended up as a gift for my stepdad. I framed it in a rustic wood frame that fit the scene perfectly. It’s going to look right at home in his little shack out in the Maine woods.

This painting reminded me how rewarding it can be to revisit an abandoned piece with fresh eyes. Adding the moose pushed me out of my comfort zone, but it also made the painting feel complete. Sometimes the thing you’re hesitant to try ends up being the missing piece.

Thanks for reading — and get brave in your next painting. I’d love to hear how you’ve stepped out of your comfort zone in your own art. In the meantime, feel free to browse my gallery to see more of my work.

Happy painting!