I made 3 new oil paintings. A subdued, almost abstract mountain landscape (40x50cm) in various shades of golden yellow and umber, almost monochrome. And an almost abstract, somewhat ethereal polder landscape (40x60cm). And the third is a small, more expressive painting of withered tulips (24x30cm).
All three painted on canvas that is tightly glued to a panel. On that hard surface I applied the oil paint with ink rollers. That gives a nice gradual color gradient, or a tight dividing line, depending on how you work with it.
In terms of atmosphere, the polder landscape is in line with a monoprint that I recently sold: it is 'empty'. A friend said about this: "On two-thirds of the surface there is 'nothing' to see, but that is what makes it exciting." And she bought it too!
Really nice, because that took away my insecurity a bit about this kind of work. Sometimes I like to look up that emptiness, because it expresses a need for freedom. Meanwhile, I'm afraid I've done too little in the eyes of the viewer. But now I feel encouraged to look further in this direction. Not only on the iPad, but also with oil on canvas.
For a change I have already framed these three new paintings. I put box frames around them, because I wanted to try that. A box frame is a wooden frame with a deep edge, in which the work of art is placed, so that the painting floats within the frame, as it were.
I am quite satisfied with the result. The tulips and the polder landscape are framed 'floating' (ie: the edge of the painting just does not touch the frame; there is half a centimeter in between). The mountain landscape is tight in the frame.
Here you can view these three oil paintings on panel. Or make an appointment to view the work in our living room gallery.
In the meantime I continue on the chosen path, along the edge of abstraction.