"The White Dress and Sunshine"
oil on canvas
31" x 36"

This is my friends little girl, sitting outside before going to Sunday School, enjoying
the flowers in the her backyard

Not only is this a painting of a child, but it is a study of what happens to a white dress when
strong sunlight strikes it. Notice the shades of violets and blues in the folds of the dress on the
girl's face. Look at how the skin almost becomes transparent in the direct sun and the sharp
shadows that are cast. The extreme light values in the painting and the dark shadows create
a contrast that emphasizes the effects of sunlight.

The foreground flowers have a nice texture which was created by the thick application of
paint and makes the surface of the canvas as interesting as the subject matter of the painting.