New Work: Above and Beneath

Above and Beneath
11" x 14" acrylic on wc paper

While at Lassen Park Visitor Center earlier in June, we had a chance to see some of the underground pools of water. I think they are hot springs and they definitely have a sulfur odor so I am guessing that chemical is their main component. It's a wonder to me to know that this kind of liquid heat is just beneath the surface of where we live. I think sometimes that we forget just how varied the Earth's surface and interior really is. It's extraordinary.

So, the pools weren't precisely swirling around but I added that sort of motion with the brushstrokes. I also thought of the perspective as being of an overhead view rather than the head on view that we actually were seeing. It's probably a disjointed view of things but I enjoy the interpretation of hills and mountains as being both near and far. The flattening of forms appeals to me at the same time as the added texture. There is no shading for form but I used a little bit of contrast of value and temperature to suggest warmth, coolness and distance. It's all part of the general picture making experience for me.

Hope everyone has a safe holiday weekend. Thanks for reading and commenting.

Libby