Contrast & Possibility

Last night I was discussing contrast with a mentorship participant, at our weekly Open Studio. This is a subject that comes up often. Immediately visual contrast, often light & dark is what comes to mind when contrast is the topic of conversation. In my mind, this is an early but rarely lingered on element of my work. Light and dark should be considered and impactful in any image, sure. There is so much more than that.

Contrast should be considered and addressed to convey the emotional stance of a painting. We cannot feel emotions or experiences to their full potential with an opposing encounter. Happiness is not felt without sad. Crisp without fluid isn't noticed. Heat from a fire feels hottest just after a walk in a freezing rain.

The feelings and emotions we feel from our painted subjects are most evident when we convey the opposition as a possibility.

The paintings in my workspace now are full of contrast and possibility. Their texture is that of the beautiful tension between what was felt as I walked through the landscape and what I remember that experience to be now. There is a warmth in this memory that conflicts with the chill in the late autumn air. One would not be valued without the other.