This piece shows the entrance to St. Alban's Episcopal Church in Washington, DC. The church is located just past the towering National Cathedral on Wisconson Avenue. Consecrated on May 24, 1855, St. Alban's was the only church north of Georgetown in its time. The church began in 1850, when a woman left forty dollars in gold upon her death as a donation to build the church at its present site.

The picture used for this piece was taken by my boyfriend just days after Christmas of 2004 during our trip to Washington, DC. The winter afternoon cast a blue-gray hue upon the stones of this little church. But the afternoon light did nothing to dim the bright red door that stood visable from blocks away. The picture was taken at a slight angle, highlighting even more the slight slope of the land the church rests upon. The colors captured in the piece blend very well together, while at the same time stand apart and create movement. The eye is immediately drawn to the bright red door, then upward to the light, then back down to the green bushes before finally settling on the stones of the church. The church itself is stoic and solid, while the colors create movement and the detail begs for careful inspection. This piece was extremely rewarding to paint. I feel privelaged to have capture such a lovely building in our Nation's capital on canvas.