Balls

Although many of my paintings are inspired by Stella's own creations with blocks, balls, and toys, sometimes they develop independently after prolonged observation in my studio. A few balls scattered across a table become subjects for a painting or a couple of stacked blocks inspire a dreamy interpretation of building. The archetypal forms of balls, cubes, cylinders, etc. lend themselves to deeper study and reflection when the house is quiet and my favorite toddler is sleeping happily.

Balls, oil/canvas, 12" x 16" is an experiment with dark underpainting. I scraped down an old canvas and applied a dark layer of paint to cover the surface. The rest of the painting was completed in only a couple of sessions at my easel. Sometimes this lack of layers can make a painting feel flat, because it's difficult to work dark and light values simultaneously. In this case, however, the dark layer underneath helps contribute to depth. I like the darker tone that resulted along with the energy conveyed by the "wet-on-wet" brushstrokes on the balls.