Saturday, August 28, 2010

Absence


Usually, when I paint a landscape, I inhabit it with some small creature - a bunny, a mouse, or a weasel. This landscape though is a picture of absence.

Or at least that is how it started. As I painted this piece of gravelled ground, inspired by the alley outside my studio door, I found that what appeared to be an empty space was in fact filled with beauty and complexity. Each trampled blade of grass casts its own shadow. Each speck of gravel catches the light.

The flowers I added are from Ophelia's 'crazy' speech known as Ophelia's garland. Rosemary, pansies, fennel, columbines, daisies and, of course, rue.


This painting is oil on clay board and measures twelve inches square.

4 comments:

  1. Jean!

    This is more like "abundance" to me.

    There may not be any creatures but this painting is full of life!

    I love all the plants and grasses interwoven together.

    This would be an awesome place to live if I were an insect or small animal!

    -Dean

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  2. You nailed it Dean. I was feeling blue and this painting reminded me that I am surrounded by abundance.

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