The Final Indecision

I have a hard time making up my mind sometimes.  Well, not really a hard time, but I can be indecisive on occasion.  Well, not indecisive, more like wishy-washy: which is kind of like indecisive, but more like take-it-or-leave-it.  Anyway, I did something I rarely do to a painting I did recently: I made a major alteration.  I usually have a pretty clear idea of how I want my painting to look, then I try to make it happen.  The idea may be poor and my decisions the wrong ones, but I generally don't notice that until long after I thought the painting was done.  This one was a little different.

This past August, my beautiful partner Ellen and I went for a trip along the Maine coast.  One of the stops we made was in a small town near Bar Harbor named Blue Hill.  It's a lovely town nestled under a prominent hill (could it be Blue Hill?)  and it also has a nice harbor.  On the way out of town I took this picture:

I instantly knew I had to paint this scene.  At the time, I was renovating my studio, so it had to wait for a few weeks, but I finished the painting in mid-September.

You may notice I made a couple of changes.  First, I turned the road back into the picture, instead of it leading your eye off the left side.  I also pushed the tree line on the left back, and opened up a field in the center of the scene.  I like the idea of shadows across the foreground, making the viewer look into the painting.  Alright, I thought-- I'm happy with this.  But something started to gnaw on me.  I stared at the painting for a few days.  Do you think that road is a little heavy on the left?  I asked myself.  I knew the answer.  I had to change it.

To make sure I wasn't about to step into a huge pile of self-inflicted dog-doo, I made a print of the painting, and painted where I thought the road should go.  Satisfied that I was doing the right thing, I made the changes.

Did it help?  Does it look too contrived?  I don't know.  I like it a little better than the way it was, but... I just don't know.  I kinda like the way the upper line of the road mimics the flow of the hill.  But was it such a huge improvement?  I can't say.  No harm, no foul, I guess.  One thing I know for sure: next time I'm faced with this indecision I'm going to firmly commit to one idea-- or the other...