Finding Water

Reflection, translucence, movement, ambiguity, and shadows sliding between layers of space, these are opportunities sleeping in December’s water.  The detritus of autumn hides here.  The color temperature has chillier contrasts with less green and more blue and violet to contrast with the warm tones of submerged and fallen leaves.  Each season offers a new menu, a new palette, and new appearances. The Barberry leaves changed from July’s deep colors to November’s fuchsia to December’s faded parchment. They appear bright on the surface and paler under shallow water. These subjects are gentle suggestions for later abstraction.

The adventure begins as the artist becomes a traveler, a wanderer who happens upon visual mystery. We look around with no particular goal, only attention to what is present. If you like me carry a camera you find potential in these distracted moments. Example 1 is a photo of leaves on and below the surface of a December pond as I look into the sunlight. Example 2 is the same photo after I have explored other possibilities while wandering through Photoshop (or Photo Elements, or other software) just as I wandered through nature.

Example 1. Winter pond photo

Example 2.same photo altered

Next I wander through the paint. I begin to distill the imagery, to further abstract it and to recompose it. The example 2 altered photo gives rise to the painting in example 6.  First, the action of  painting encourages me to reconsider my intentions, to try alternate directions and maybe alternative materials. For example, I varnish a photo of Mayan ceramics which I will use as a substrate for my winter water painting (see example 3).

I look for another opportunity and find a painting of shore grasses that does not satisfy me (example 4). I cover this image with colors and forms inspired from example 2. The resulting image can be seen in example 5.

Example 3. Mixed media image, 13×13

Example 4. Image to be rotated and overpainted, 24×24.

Example 5. Overpainted rotated image.

To increase the size of my next image I paint on a 48×48 3/8 inch sheet of PVC. Example 6 represents step one. I pause and consider my beginning. I feel there is not sufficient luminosity, ambiguity and texture variation in step one. I apply the changes shown Example 7 .  Now I present a more relaxed, textured, and luminous image than in example 6.

Example 6. Step one, 48×48

Example 7. Step two

I wish to show you another example of winter water with areas of both opacity and translucence. Example 8 represents a painting at a middle stage but far enough along to demonstrate qualities of movement, layering, opacity and translucence.

Example 8, 30×48 oil on white anodized aluminum

Finally, I extend my invitation to you to register for painting classes with me at the Silvermine School of Art for the winter semester. Registration begins at 9 AM on December 9.  Classes begin in mid-January. Call the school at 203 966 6668 ext. 2 for a Tuesday or Wednesday class. Registration also begins for my week long intensive workshop to be held at the Silvermine School of Art in April.