TM8373 Pond Poem 36×40 oil on panel

There is a special place in my imagination for that particular shade of blue that shimmers in the space between ultramarine and cerulean. It cleans my mind and sharpens my senses. Pond Poem has that blue in abundance, My pond in the woods is nearing the end of its summer colors. The blue is more intense, the lilies are becoming scarce, and the joyful noise of new life has settled down. In late August’s meditative quiet, I can stop and renew, ready myself for the cacaphonious colors and activities of fall. Enjoy!

Technical painting notes – This painting was developed in a manner much like the previously posted painting (Late August Lilies). The original conception included a band of shrubs and grasses bordering the pond at the top of the view.  However, as the painting developed, the heaviness of the dark tones and details at the top seemed to be competing with the luminosity of the water and the complex reflections on the right. Something had to give, and while I loved the way the vegetative border was depicted, I decided to sand it out and simplify the upper part of the painting. Extending the water to the top (with its sense of light) balanced the composition and brought more focus onto the reflections. It also brightened and calmed the mood.  Sometimes drastic action is necessary, and  sandpaper is the only recourse.