There are particular types of paintings that I do that I sometimes paint expressly for certain galleries where they show more interest for that particular type than other galleries. One such case is the long, thin sliver paintings such as the one shown here. This piece, The Thin Shard, is an image measuring 4″ wide by 44″ tall on paper and was done specifically for my upcoming show at the Kada Gallery
I have done a number of these paintings over the years for all of my galleries but Kathy, the owner of the Kada Gallery along with her husbamd Joe, has always had a personal preference for this tall, lean shape which comes across when she talks with her clients. As a result, these paintings have always left the gallery fairly quickly. Whenever Kathy asks what is new in the studio she almost always asks if I have been working on any of these this slices for her.
I started painting this shape early in my career, basically as a way to make use of all the scraps of paper left over from other more traditionally shaped paintings. As I painted them, I realized that there was a certain pleasure that came from putting together this type of paintiing, from conquering the puzzle of how to create a scene that incorporates multiple elements into such a thin view while still maintaining a certain cohesiveness and natural feel, without the appearance of being contrived. Creating depth into the piece was also an obstacle that had to be overcome without the benefit of a wide horizon and little room to convey much perspective.
Then there was the problem of creating the balance in the painting that I’ve talked about in past posts. It’s still there in each thin painting but it’s a tighter, more organized sort of thing that requires more precision in the placement of each element that makes up the painting. A misplaced line or a sloppy juxtapostion of colors can be disastrous in such a such a small area with little room for compensating in other ways. The shape of the painting seems to make the normal puzzles of painting seem larger.
But for me, these barriers create a wonderful environment for the paintings to grow. The narrowness of the pieces creates its own visual excitement and is a wonderful carrier of color. When successful, these pieces have an easy feel that allows them to be taken in at once.
I like this particular piece very much. The color is rich and and the weighting of the color and contrast, along with focus created by the placement of the moon, make the eye take in the depth of the piece easily. The tree breaks mildly out of the picture plane, giving it even a bit more feel of depth and an interesting silhouette. On the wall, the size of the painting when framed (10″ wide and 50″ tall) gives the piece great visual impact. It demands the eye, which is ultimately what I hope for all my work– that they have a force that is so vibrant and alive that they reach out from the wall.
I think The Thin Shard does that.
Redtree Times 