“Harvest Gold” oil, 36” by 24” As pleasing as the vineyards are, I am always more interested in portraying those who work in them. A question I am frequently asked by those who know that I like to work on location is, “Did you paint this at the scene or in the studio?” The most accurate answer is, “both”. For “Harvest Gold” I parked under the shade of a tree, converted the trunk of my car to a mini studio and painted directly from the vines and hills, the sky and the colors of the dirt in the lit and shadow areas. I had to scrap one of these early preliminary paintings when a squirrel, making a ruckus above me in the tree, left it’s “droppings” on my painting. After completing 3 or 4 location studies I continued my work in the studio. My aim was not simply to record what I saw but to transcend that with a piece that reflected the strength and purpose in the workers and the lushness of the crop.