Meditation: Silver, Wine, and Shell

The Story

This painting is about capturing an instant of stillness and quiet.  The inclusion of a small reflected image of the artist at work gives it a snapshot-like feeling.  Not only is it a generalized moment of calm and contemplation, but it’s also very specific – that particular moment in the studio.

The two most recent paintings (here and here) featured minimal compositions – just one object.  This painting aims to take that simplified spirit and bring it in to a composition with more objects.  Rather than working with a design that moves the eye throughout the canvas, though, the action here is restricted to the central part of the image.  By pulling the objects together, the eye stays in one place, which also contributes to the sense of still.  Instead of creating kinetic energy for the eye to follow, it is pulled inward – the very essence of meditation.

While limiting the number of objects and focusing the eye in one area were deliberate restrictions, the goal was not to make a sparse painting.  Although just three objects are included, the reflections in the silver allowed for great richness and depth – culminating in the self-portrait.

There isn’t much to say about the red string, except that painting simple things can be vexatious, and painting vexatious things can be deeply rewarding.

The Technical Side

“Meditation: Silver, Wine, and Shell” was done entirely from life (without use of photography).  It is painted with oil on linen, which is mounted to a hardboard panel.  The dimensions are 14×11 inches (36×28 cm).  It began with a straight-forward grisaille (black and white) underpainting.  This was followed by a mixture of opaque paints and glazes on top of the underpainting.

If you’re interested in adding “Meditation: Silver, Wine, and Shell” to your collection, send a message using the “Connect with Me” section on the sidebar to the right.  Please bookmark this blog and watch for posts about this coming week’s painting.

Thank you!