The Rock Pool
triptych, oil on canvas on hardboard.
170 x 76 cm closed, 170 x 156 cm open
This is one of a series of seven paintings which were started during autumn 2015, what excited me when I painted them were the vibrant colours. October that year was a magnificent display of those seasonal colours, the weather was clear, dry and constant for the three weeks (all the window panels were painted during the winter). The only movement was the water and the trees as the wind caressed them and their leaves dropped like grains of sand in the hour glass.
As the colours were changing during autumn, speed was essential. I perched my easel on one of the rocks overlooking the water pool and threw the acrylic paint onto the canvas in strong colours. I rarely use acrylics so it was an adventure for me to do so and also to be so spontaneous. I liked the unpredictability of the speed at which I had to work; splashing, dribbling, flicking. Building up the base coat before continuing with the more subtle oil paint.
The manner of painting the landscape was very impressionistic in approach but the colour strength was applied with the fury of an expressionist. I enjoyed the experience and kept as much of the lively brushwork visible to make the contrast with the way the window frames and window ledge are painted: the controlled manmade with the natural world outside.
I returned to paint the same view for the outside panels at the beginning of summer in 2016.
