TM8709 Cloud-gazing 36×44 oil on panel
Cloud-gazing is a dreamy way to enjoy July, and we’ve had some beautiful opportunities lately. I especially love watching the clouds play hide and seek with the trees in the pond. Reflections, though clearly part of the world, seem more magical. And being something of a contrarian, I like the idea of looking down to see up. So join me, and let the hypnotic effect of a lazy afternoon take you to your own special place, wherever it might be…..details below.
TM8709 Cloud-gazing – detail from center showing foliage and cloud reflections with floating leaves – note use of layered textures
TM8709 Cloud-gazing – detail from upper left
TM8709 Cloud-gazing – detail from right side with tree and sky reflections under bits of floating duckweed – note use of scraping into wet paint in tree trunks
TM8709 CLoud-gazing – detail from lower left showing use of layered spatter technique (solvent into first wet paint layer, followed by thinned paint spattered on subsequent wet glaze layers
Teri Malo Studio 
Beautiful painting!! You have a great technique!
Thank you Palmira. I approach painting in a way that reflects my background doing woodcuts, etchings, monoprints. and watercolors. I love the way oil paints can do it all. You’ll see occasional posts explaining a technique more precisely. I believe in sharing.
Teri, beautiful as always, your clouds make me dream too. Tell me, which is more important to you; the painting, or the act of painting?
Good question – what is more important, the painting or the act of painting. I think I have to say both. When I’m painting, especially when it becomes wordless and totally intuitive, I am totally blissed out. However, if the painting ends up being successful, if it is interesting and it works, then I thoroughly enjoy living with it and seeing it regularly – though it is a more intellectual response. I want to figure out what the implications of the painting are – what does it mean to me? Does it open avenues to explore in other paintings? How do others respond to it? Does it contribute to making life better in some way? Anyway, those are my thoughts – what about your’s?