TM8684 An Indeterminate Number 36×36 oil on panel
Numbers fascinate me – but in a visual way. Like the impact of quantity juxtaposed with uniqueness. I don’t intend to count the stones in this painting, but I have caressed each one with a brush countless times. First it was drawing each stone, placing it in position with great care for its context and neighbors. Then it was layers of glazing and scumbling with a badly split brush. Finally more glazes to add nuances of color – dark/light, warm/cool, rough/smooth. The last touch was “sprinkling” tiny leaves into the cracks, both to add color and diversity – and because they were there. As I worked on the individual stones they became personalities. I made sure to include some lucky stones. The painting is primarily inspired by visits to Quoddy Head State Park in Lubec, Maine. Detail below. Enjoy.
TM8684 An Indeterminate Numver – close-up from left of center showing stone textures
Note – my large stone paintings usually take years to finish (in between working on other paintings), so hallelujah!
Really interesting, very lovely.
This painting rocks!
Thank you Gregorio!
How do you achieve that? There is both movement, and stillness.
Quick answer – the stones are obviously at rest (and the softly grayed color also is calming), however, the sense of movement comes from the placement of each stone. Note how they relate to each other creating linked sequences (partial figure eights, curves of similar color or value, partial spirals, etc.) it is the shapes and values that create the sense of tumble and movement. The soft edges also help to suggest change – hence movement.