First Light In The Valley
SOLD
"First Light In The Valley, Dobson Valley, New Zealand"
Oil on Board / 1500x1000mm
Completed 2020
Caroline Bellamy - Bellamy Studio
Mid Winter. A fresh snow fall had blanketed the valley right down to the river. I spent five days up the Dobson Valley basing myself at Kennedy Hut. Kennedy Hut is a shearers hut situated about 2/3 of the way up the valley. The surrounding peaks are filled with tahr, red deer and the occasional chamios. I did some plain air painting outside the hut looking up the valley. I wanted to capture the different hues and tones at different times of the day. This proved challenging as everything froze around me when the sun disappeared behind the high peaks at about 1.30pm. The experience however proved a valuable resource back in the studio.
Coming out the valley early morning, by Station Hut I looked back and this scene presented itself. The first morning light filtered down the valley highlighting the mountains. The snow had progressively melted over the past five days. The perspective, light and hues, it had to be a painting.
