Gloria Lake at Twilight, ©John O’Grady, 2014
Oil on Panel, 8″x 10″
NFS
In John McGahern’s book “That They May Face the Rising Sun” and known as “By the Lake” in America, he describes with great beauty Gloria Lake, in county Leitrim in Ireland. It is in many ways the central character.
As the book unfolds, life is played out around its shores as a counterbalance to the passage of life and death. McGahern exquisitely writes about the natural rhythm of the seasons while Gloria lake is a steadfast presence that witnesses these changes.
I have never visited Gloria Lake, my painting is probably not topographically correct, but to me that doesn’t matter. The map that guided this painting to completion was an emotional response to McGahern’s finely crafted words. The way he captured the atmosphere and mood as the sun sets over the lake made me feel I was standing on its shore.
This painting is the sister painting to Gloria Bog #185, completed a number of weeks ago.
I’d love to hear what you think
This emotionally charged painting has a wonderful, hyper-real, dreamlike quality. The light emanating from behind the trees adds to the mystery of it.
I am amazed at your ability technically to differentiate the physical from the reflected forms through subtle shifts in color.
(“By the Lake” is already in my to-read pile!)
Hello Josephine, I am glad you have it on your to read pile, you are in for a treat. Thank you for your comment regarding the painting, I think it might be the colour arrangement that infuses it with the charge and dreamlike quality you refer to. The choice of colour was not premeditated it just came out that way. i just looked up the definition of hyper-real Josephine, very interesting
I guess it’s the visual equivalent of prose that “lies to tell the truth” — it pushes your senses so that you feel what the writer or artist feels. You do seem to wear your heart on your sleeve, John, which is a trait I admire.
Thank you Josephine, I would like to think that the paintings could “push the senses” of the viewer by themselves but I am not to sure how much is added by the text that accompanies the piece-That’s all work in progress. I found it interesting when looking at hyper-real and Baudrillard talking about Simulacrum that it is not a copy of the real, but becomes truth in its own right.
For what it’s worth, I felt the emotional power of this piece before reading the text.
Much appreciated Josephine
Simply…. exquisite !
Thank you Dominique, I am glad you enjoyed looking at it
These colours are quite hypnotic John and I feel like drifting into a reverie when I look at it. It is infused with feeling as JR expresses so succinctly.
Hello Chris, I think it is quite a dream like piece, I like your word reverie. Thank you for your comment
John I love this so much….Fabulous
Thank you Elles for your comment, glad you like it