TM9059 Inside October 34×40 oil on panel

Part of the thrill and challenge of working on a series is looking for new ways to interpret the theme. With that in mind, I’ve been restudying two artists whom I’ve admired for a long time – Joan Mitchell and Willem De Kooning. Both artists really knew their way around paint – how to layer, scrape, articulate, splash, and smear. In other words, they created rich surfaces full of abstract gestures. My own affinity for Mitchell’s nature and poetry-inspired canvases might seem  obvious, but her bravura brushwork and bold freedom has also inspired me. De Kooning’s restless scraping and repainting created rich surfaces and a sense of depth. While his particular women-as-subject doesn’t speak to me, his techniques do. Inside October is my first larger attempt at letting some of their approaches weave into my own pondscapes. It’s a variation on the “what if…” game. Can’t wait to try another. Details below.

TM9059 Inside October – detail near center showing use of monoprint techniques, roller and brush work, and scraping and spatter

TM9059 Inside October – detail from right side looking through leaves toward a cloud