Abstract oil painting

12x12” oil on wood, framed in unfinished maple. 

This painting is an abstract expressionist piece, no photo references, just movement of paints and textures across a smooth wood board, drawing on my instincts to guide the process. 

Using a Japanese hake brush, typically reserved for watercolors only, I achieved new blending strokes with smooth movements that complement the rough palette knife markings. There are small markings in oil pastel and charcoal accenting the movement of the palette knife markings. 

The warm undertones give the eye a resting point in this cool toned landscape, which is why I chose to frame this series in light frames. They highlight that accent, and hug the greens and blues in a way that is striking when displayed on your walls. 

There are hints of yellow ochre in the under layers that come through subtly in the green overtones. To achieve this, layers have to dry completely before adding each color, so the process is months long waiting patiently for each layer of oil to dry. There is also a balance of blending certain aspects just before it dries, so calculating both these stages requires checking on them regularly and doing small steps along the way. Otherwise, the colors would become muddy, so instead, we get to enjoy the beauty of all the subtle layers.