TM9086 October Morning 36×36 oil on panel

The fuchsia and salmon reflections of leaves sparkling in the water one morning caught my eye, and I started thinking about this painting immediately. I knew abstract patterns and rhythms would be the basis of the painting, while the pale blue sky would set the mood. But how to accomplish it? A few months later, I plunged in with a roller charged with burnt sienna paint and just kept rolling, letting the pattern of darks determine my moves. Spattering into the wet paint and re-rolling it muffled some marks and exaggerated others. And that is the accidental magic of letting the tools lead the way. At the end of the day, I left the panel to dry, knowing that when I came back later in the week, the painting would “paint itself.” A good start is everything. The staccato blue and fuchsia marks of the ripples were pounced with the roller, and the dried, pale tan seed heads along the shore were achieved with both the roller and paint brush, offering a neutral relief to the bright colors. Details below. Enjoy.

TM9086 October Morning – detail from left of center

TM9086 October Morning – detail from upper left