This is the painting that confounded me last week. It`s hard to walk away from something that isn`t working out but it`s usually the right thing to do. By setting it aside, when I returned I could see that my source material was the problem. I got rid of some content, altered the scale and just began making random experiments. Now, I wasn`t so invested and my original response to the subject came through. There is something compelling in these Northwest rain forests, they are so dark yet so generous.
1 comment:
I need to get up to the Pacific Northwest. I now know so many people there, and to see nature in all its physical-ness that inspires a painting as beautiful as this would be inspiring, I'm sure.
It's wonderful how you've captured the dark while also revealing the light (and I mean that on multiple levels). There's a serenity in this work but also a quality of mystery, unknown-ness that is even a little scary. There's lushness in the green, a murkiness in the water (what is it masking?) and exposure (the rocks and branches, a opening out of the thickness to the left rear, a bit of yellow light pushing through). Lovely shadowing with blues.
I'm glad you put the painting aside and then came back to it.
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