Throwing Lines

As Albert Einstein so eloquently said, “Make things as simple as possible, but not simpler.” I enjoy exploring new ways to visually dance between the highly rendered and the stylized in my work and this new piece is a great example of that.

I came up with this rough sketch (see below) in January of 2010, drawn in ball point pen and silver fine tip marker. I wanted to depict the power of the ocean hoisting up a wall of water and throwing it with brut force. I also wanted to do this with style and eloquence. It sat in my sketchpad for a year and a half before I revisited it.

I decided to render it in acrylic to switch things up a bit. My initial intention was to do this with a limited palette much more graphic based rather than a rendered piece, I wanted to bust through it quickly. I painted on a distressed wood panel and use the natural grain as an organic border which I felt would add an embrace of warmth & texture. I used some metallic paints that when viewing the original painting add a glimmer and depth that enhance the experience. But as I worked on it, I realized that it required a depth which required more laborious techniques. I got about 80% done with the painting and decided that acrylics just don’t cut it. Nothing has the richness of oils for this type of style, so I glazed several layers of oil over the acrylic. Those glazes really sharpened and accentuated the angles and shapes and popped out the lights and highlights.

The swirling water shapes visually bring to life the vibes, passion and grooviness of the classic rock,hip-hop,funk and jazz that I was listening to when painting. I think the feel-good-flow is counterbalanced with the strength,direction and reckoning of the guillotine-like wall of water which is hurling back towards the depths from which it came.