TM8465 Spring Announces Her Intentions 36×36 oil on panel

When I first started visiting the pond, I was entranced by the levels of abstraction I saw. First, there was the obvious pattern of light and shade on the pond’s surface, then there was the patterning of the reflections which encoded a familiar yet mysterious world, and finally the layers of pattern represented by vegetation on the surface. Every painting since that first visit has been an interpretation of what I saw that first day. And I’m still trying to find a more perfect way to express my amazement. Spring Announces Her Intentions is one more interpretation of those basic three patterns, though this time from early in the season before duckweed overwhelms and lilies fill in the gaps. I wanted to capture the light coming through the mostly bare branches, and also find a way to suggest the layer of pollen on the pond and in the air. Fine spattering with an old nylon brush provided the pollen, and judicious glazing with a soft watercolor mop provided the light-filled air. Details below. Enjoy!

TM8465 Spring Announces Her Intentions – detail from left side with reflected cloud and tree trunks, flotsum