Friday 10 December 2010

A one-off!


Here is a better photo of the oil I've been working on for several weeks, on and off. I don't know if I like it or not, but it's what I meant - heavily worked, because I was trying to get the confusion of twigs and branches, dying orange, red and yellow leaves, and also trying to avoid any suggestion of a "pretty" approach. Although I'm all for loose painting and impressionistic techniques, just now and then I like to remind myself that nature is so often not tame and obedient, with helpful little pathways and dappled paths, but rather prickly, muddy, and even impenetrable.
I wouldn't want to paint like this too often - I now feel a strong desire to simplify. But I did enjoy playing with the thick paint, and attempting to find structure in a seeming chaos of branches, foliage, grasses and mud.
It's based on the River Ems, across the Solent from me - haven't thought of a title as yet.

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