This painting represents a memory I have of Holland, specifically of a little village across the river Ij (pronounced "eye") in Amsterdam. It was very refreshing to take the ferry across the river, which was a fairly wide river, and ride my rental bike off into unknown territory. After the density and dirtiness of Amsterdam, this town (whose name I never got) was what I initially imagined Holland to be like. I didn't stray very far from the main road, which was narrow and lined with the archetypal red-tiled roofs of Holland. I came to a sharp turn in the road and off in the distance was this super old church, towering over the village. I did a quick sketch of the scene, which was the impetus for this painting. I also did a more detailed and finished painting of the street, which I might add to my website at some point.
There's just something magical about taking one's painting supplies to a foreign country and coming back home with paintings done en plein air. The time it takes to make even a quick painting is much longer than the time it takes to snap a digital photo, and I felt like I bonded with each and every place I painted far more than anyplace I photographed.
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