The Silver Thread III, ©John O’Grady
12″ x 12″ x 1.75″ Oil on deep edged canvas, does not require framing
SOLD
The quality of light where water meets sky in the west of Ireland can be stunningly brilliant or subdued and filtered through clouds and atmospheric conditions. This piece is really about the latter. The colour arrangement is all about showing the emotional force of that special light, often fleeting and gone in a few moments even though it can remain in our memories as a sublime experience.
There is always some struggle with a painting.
When a turning point comes, it arrives with a particular emotional rush: something new is seen and opportunities arise for a new colour or light to emerge.
I stay aware of these possibilities as they can take the work in a new direction.
In this piece, the turning point was the distant headland at the right of the painting. It was formally a solid mass with an outline too pronounced in the vaporous atmosphere. By lowering the brush at an oblique angle, I dragged and scumbled a teal colour followed by rose paint over the land mass now partially obscuring it.
It felt perfect for the painting.
Following this came the back lit clouds just to the left of the headland. Working as a counterpoint, they appeared as solid and sentinel-like hovering on the horizon.
I relish it when these opposites occur and what should be insubstantial becomes solid and vice versa for what we often see is not what really is nor should it be.
I’d love to hear what you think.
really nice John
Thanks very much Eoin
This is lovely John – I really like the subtle light effects and the wonderful colour such as the violet in the foreground and those soft pinks in the sky. That fine strip of light on the horizon and the exquisite light behind the clouds just adds that special something.
Hello Christine,
Thank you for your comment. Like the last piece, this one was about the colour too not really representational but the light that you mention is of the west I think and holds the colour in some sort of balance.
We loved it so much, we bought it!!! LOL!!! Great piece, John…looking forward to adding it to our “O’Grady” collection!! Thanks so much!!
Pleasure is all mine Terry 🙂
John, your work is absolutely mesmerizing! Have you considered selling prints of your pieces so poor college students, such as myself, can enjoy your art until able to purchase an original?
Hello Holly,
Thank you for your comment on my paintings. I have no immediate plans to do prints but watch this space, maybe in the future.