From Dark into Light I, ©John O’Grady
5″ x 7″, acrylic and mixed media on panel. Needs framing.
The six artworks shown here are part of a new series of small works exploring movement of dark into light in the landscape.
Of course, there is no light without dark and vice versa.
It’s a dynamic relationship. Each one is constantly moving and morphing into the other.
That time of transition when tension, drama and contrast abound interests me.
From Dark into Light II, ©John O’Grady
5″ x 7″, acrylic and mixed media on panel. Needs framing
From Dark into Light III, ©John O’Grady
5″ x 7″, acrylic and mixed media on panel. Needs framing
From Dark into Light IV, ©John O’Grady
5″ x 7″, acrylic and mixed media on panel. Needs framing
From Dark into Light V, ©John O’Grady
5″ x 7″, acrylic and mixed media on panel. Needs framing
From Dark into Light VI, ©John O’Grady
5″ x 7″, acrylic and mixed media on panel. Needs framing
Which one do you feel a stronger connection with?
What a beautiful creative explosion, John. So tonally and emotionally rich. You’re on fire!
I am reminded of Ursula Le Guin and “The Left Hand of Darkness,” with its Taoist theme:
Light is the left hand of darkness,
and darkness the right hand of light.
Two are one, life and death, lying
together like lovers in kemmer,
like hands joined together,
like the end and the way.
Hello Jo,
Thank you for the comment and the very fitting and beautiful poem. I will have to look up Ursula’s work now.
John you have invited us through a doorway into a realm that is otherwise unreachable. It reminds me of the Stations of the Cross. Each one offering a path of contemplation, a retreat into the womb of nature. The darkness commanding the light to offer us varying infinities. There is an unspoken contract between both, an inhale and exhale. And although the dark may represent the invisible solitude, it presents us with even further horizons while the light illuminates our journey. One could sit and observe these six works as daily meditation. The unseen seventh piece of work is the total sum of all six works…”and on the 7th day he rested” ..
Hello Irene,
Thank you very much for your thoughts on the paintings. I find it of interest and pleasing that you could see them as daily meditations, that is much appreciated
What a wonderful series John, very special and I do agree that they have a somewhat spiritual and contemplative feel to them enhanced by the subtle contrasts and nuanced play of light and shade which in vite careful viewing. For me they very well as a whole body of work but the ones I connect most with are III and V and especially V. It has a yearning, whistful quality. Beautiful!
Hello Chris
That’s interesting you found a connection with III and V, they do have a similar quiet feel to them and as you say whistful quality, certainly I also found myself drawn to number three, thank you very much.
Stunning set of paintings, John. I love the tones and the feeling they give me.
Thank you Janine, that is great to hear
John, really love this series of your work …. Dramatic beautiful
Thank you Elles, it’s a series that is ongoing and I will be showing some more in the future 🙂