A big picture of an Oklahoma Spring: Artist David Holland works on his biggest canvas
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Of all the people who might have their heads in the clouds, David Holland alone might bring back the prettiest picture of what he sees.
"The way light plays on them is just incredible," he states. "It's always changing."
As an Oklahoma native, he's always appreciated what's floating above the ground more than the flat earth below.
"Growing up here makes a big difference. It's kind of our entertainment," he chuckles.
As an artist, for nearly 20 years, he's made his living putting them on canvas, the swirls of wind, the billowing movement, and the way light plays across their surfaces.
He insists, "People come from all over the world to see our skies, and Oklahomans themselves appreciate them very much."
His latest commission is his largest ever, a canvas 10 feet tall and 189 feet wide, custom-made for a landscape he's calling 'A Welcome Spring.'
"The hardest part of this," he tells us as he works, "is knowing where you are because it becomes so abstract when you get close to it."
It's so big he had to construct what he calls a 'mega-easel.'
The top of his painting is already hidden, rolled behind where he's working now.
Sky first, then a careful descent to earth.
"Clouds are the easy part. As far as I'm concerned, that's the fun part."
As much an engineering project as art work, Holland sketched a rough outline as the canvas lay flat.
He then labeled square grids to work on one by one.
"We're working on O-5, N-5, and P-5," he shows us.
David pre-mixed his oil paints by the gallon and has everything within easy reach.
30 years ago, another landscape artist, Wilson Hurley, painted even larger landscapes for the Cowboy Museum in Oklahoma City, pioneering many of the techniques Holland is using as he works.
"He's been my guidebook."
David's view of a spring day promises healthy rain and greener pastures.
His deadline to finish is the end of April, just in time to see Oklahoma's dramatic skies come to life.
"I must say they are more impressive bigger," he laughs.
Sometime early next year, Holland's finished work will hang permanently at the new Veterans Administration rehab hospital in Tulsa.
For more information on Holland's art work, visit his website here or visit his Facebook page here.