“In The Trees” is an abstract fine art oil and cold wax painting by Alison C. Dibble, 2020, 8 x 10 inches. It is unframed and can be propped up for display or it requires a frame to hang on a wall.

I was in the mood for a jungle atmosphere. What might be hiding behind the close vegetation, watching from there in the shady undergrowth? I was in the mood for colors upon colors and a variety of textures. To start, I put stripes of oil crayon on the gessoed panel. Then I mixed oil paint with the cold wax medium (this is pharmaceutical grade beeswax used for art; it is white and slightly translucent. It thickens the paint and adds texture, and then it dries very hard and gives a 3-D effect to the painting). I added layers of paint and medium, and then scraped away to reveal the layer of oil crayon stripes underneath. Right away this painting had a sense of mystery for me. A beautiful, peaceful forest, but with animals unseen, plants growing over any disturbed ground and quickly covering it. Heat and humidity, but shade from the hot sun. The path forward is grown over. From which direction did we come?!