TM9035 The Greater Symphony 36×54 oil on panel

Life is music, and when I feel and hear the thunder of a great wave I think of the symphony – all the instruments in unison bring a moment to absolute pitch and excitement. Part of me still feels that thrill later when I’m painting the wave, pulling all my knowledge of oil painting and monoprint into capturing the moment. I love the droplets and the spray, and the weighty mass of the water. More difficult is painting the shallow, quiet, salty lace of the foam and ripples. In The Greater Symphony, I layered straight painting with rolling on thin films of paint to imply the density of movement and spontaneous quality of the foreground. The warmth of the sand balances the green/blues. Calm and thunderous. Yin/yang. Enjoy. Details below.

TM9035 The Greater Symphony – detail

TM9035 The Greater Symphony – detail