Primeval

 

...Primeval...

oil on canvas panel - 6" x 8" 

Another West Virginia landscape painting. Here is a rocky forest floor covered with moss. It was positively magical! The slanted light was just hitting the tops of the mosses, causing them to glow.

Taking my inspiration from the medieval icon painters, who painted on gold leafed panels (the gold symbolizing divinity), I covered the panel with Daniel Smith's gold gesso, and painted on top of that, hoping some of the luminescence would shine through. Sadly, I seem to have applied the paint too thickly, or perhaps the colors were too opaque. At any rate, the glow is only apparent in a few places. Here is a detail:

Even though I failed in my objective of communicating the beauty of those glowing mosses, I feel the painting still contains some of the magic and mystery of nature. I do intend to try some more paintings on gold gesso.

Purchase : $75 unframed (plus shipping). Please send me an email for availability.

See my other paintings on my website.