WATCH the ‘Inspiration in the Trees’ to see stunning views of the Treehouse Studio!
Take a look at how it all started in the Treehouse Build Gallery!
Treehouse Studio visits are welcome, and available upon request!
Prints of the Treehouse Studio available in the JNFA PRINT SHOP
Treehouse Studio – Colorful Snowy Night
Painting in nature as a way of life. Built from a purpose to capture the essence of the unfolding of creation in nature, the way changing light illuminates the landscape, the continuously changing, free-flowing skies, the intricate structure of the forest, visualizing in-depth what nature has to offer.
What was to be the solution to find a way to work in nature considering the elements of changing weather,
the practical aspects of working on a canvas for long periods and managing materials. After some research and sketching design ideas, the Treehouse Studio became more than a notion.
The ever changing look of the Treehouse at night
It was 20 years ago that the journey into the treetops began. Starting with a computer based 3D model, a design came to fruition that was open, awash with light and large enough to be able to visualize large pieces. It could also store materials and be a year round studio, day and night.
5 months later, the Treehouse Studio was born.
Autumn colors coming in
Snowy view from the Treehouse deck
Since that time, my painting days typically consist of venturing up before sunrise, in winter, starting up the pellet stove to warm the freezing interior, and then typically a dozen hours of painting ensues. With a panoramic view, facing west across the field, sunsets are spectacular and the entire experience of being 30 feet high offers a vantage point where you merge with nature.
You’re living with the forest creatures, deer, turkey, fox, even a coyote recently!, watching the wildlife venture across the wild fields while overlooking the NJ mountains off in the distance.
Spring is here, everything is blooming
Morning light is intensely colored orange breaking way to mid-day bright light which rolls into the deep pink hues of dusk followed by deep blue evenings.
Working at night, mysterious and beautiful
As the light changes, so does everything it touches. The tree feels different every day and seasons become more than the punctuation.Spring, summer, autumn and winter become a gradually changing continuum of nature felt at a micro level with each day drawing a bit closer to what comes in the next. There are so many elements that contribute to the overall experience that the ambience is nothing short of magical.
Cleaning the Roof!
These experiences have altered the paintings, continually reevaluating the format of a painting and how it is experienced. They capture more than a point in time, they encompass the flow of nature, a dynamic neo-naturalism.