Shore

This idea came to me while sitting in a secluded spot after a hike through the woods. I sat on the edge of the shore looking down into the water, the small waves washing up and covering the sand and stones like a veil. My main goal in this painting was to paint the transparency of the water without the glazing technique many artists would use to convey the visual difference between rock and water. From the time I began to paint, I saw the painting surface as a 2-dimensional surface with the painting being composed of colors and shapes next to one another. The rocks here are intrinsically very abstract and realistic at once. This image lends itself to the 2D abstract thought process. Also, looking directly down on the subject removes any traditional landscape space and depth and adds to the abstract quality of the piece. Most traditional landscape painters use the "back to front" technique, layering their colors and shapes on the canvas in stages. Although I do use this technique when needed, in "Shore" I wanted to take a realistic image from nature and make it as much about the paint as it is about the image.