Saturday, January 14, 2012

Imaginary Landscape

Painting the 'imaginary landscape' presented a different challenge than something based on a reference such as a still life, etc. Making everything up as it was painted ended up being very interesting, to stretch the boundaries of 'realistic' so as to fool the unwary viewer into thinking s/he is looking at a 'normal' landscape while upon closer inspection one sees a writhing, unrealistic (totally abstract even) settlement of shapes and colors.

It was only after adding a deep flush of violet throughout the imaginary landscape did it take on a combination of that twilight lilac hue and the burning orange of the golden hour. Birds flying into the sky seem to make the colorful sky that much farther away in space.
This painting is an experiment. One of my New Year's Resolution is to get out of my comfort zone. 'Imaginary Landscape' retreats from a realistic with more of a tendency to the 'surreal' . The only way to go to that place is to surrender to the urge-ings of the muse. 

The division of the large panel into three sections make a 'triptych'. 
This piece was planned originally as a 'triptych'. The appearance of a bay window adds an extra illusory depth to the view. 


In contrast to the usual approach of convincing realism this style of imaginary painting may invite a more participatory view, as there is a creative openness that invites interpretation. A second look.

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