TM8979 Gossamer Days 36×40 oil on panel

Color, as reflected in a woodland pond in autumn, is the apparent subject addressed in this new painting. But it’s also about the ethereal nature of time and the ineffable quality of air. Close values and tones describe a moisture rich atmosphere, and create a glow or vibration in the eye. Drifting leaves and layers of reflections speak to the accumulation and passage of time. I relied on an interweaving of roller and brush work to describe reality while allowing for unexpected hard edges and a degree of abstraction. I sometimes tell my students to take off their glasses to see the other world we inhabit/inhibit in our paintings. As Alice found, looking through the glass can yield wonderful surprises in an upside down world. Details below. Enjoy.

TM8979 Gossamer Days – detail near center showing multi-layered approach, use of glazes, roller and brush work

TM8979 Gossamer Days – detail from center bottom with reflections and floating leaves

TM8979 Gossamer Days – close-up showing layers, scraping into wet paint, roller strokes vs. brush strokes

TM8979 Gossamer Days – detail from center top of painting

Technical painting notes: Oil paints dry slowly, so working with layers can take an inordinate amount of time. To speed the process, I use Winsor Newton Liquin medium. When mixing color to roll on, I add a bit of Liquin original to the paint. If I’m rolling on a glaze, I add Liquin Impasto medium. The transparency and glow of layered rolling can be subtly  effective.