A Gnarly Oak

I went to the Delta this morning. The Heringer Estate proved perfect for painting. There were many old oak trees along the bank of the slough running through the vineyard. I was fascinated with the oaks. An expert explained that the trees are about 250 years old. The family did not allow cutting for fuel during the steamship era. So the aged and tately oaks still stand. They are twisted with many limbs turned down to the water. I painted from close in and it was difficult to draw an entire tree. Instead, I selected one section and tried to show some of the bumps and blemishes. There were wonderful cast reflections from the levee into the water, but the sun was often behind clouds. No complaints. I will take this anytime.