Reflections on Water (Oil Bar Painting)

Reflections on Water (Oil Bar Painting) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Here is the painting I submitted to the juried show, as it looked on January 17th, the third day I worked on it and the submission deadline. That morning, I went up to the studio for a bit and added more dark tones to the trees and to the dark areas in the water, trying to get a bit closer to the colors of dusk that I liked in my photo which I was using as a reference. (I posted the photo here on September 23.) I also re-worked the tiny vertical marks, reflections of the trees on the water. I used very sparing amounts of paint so everything would dry, blending with my fingertips. Then I took this picture with my phonecam, and went home to submit my entry by e-mail. The show's theme is water. The application asked for a statement and here is what I said about the image: "This painting seems to sum up what fascinates me most about painting water: water's simultaneous movement and stillness; water's strict horizontality, its depth, and the hidden geometry of its waves; the way water reflects the sky and its surroundings, and yet remains itself." I am glad that I made the deadline, but of course I don't know if the painting will be accepted for the show. However, the show is (always) besides the point. The point of painting is painting. I really enjoyed painting this picture and am very happy that I did!