1993-1994
In August of 1993, while in the lower Alps of Switzerland on an excursion with a group of artists, I was painting in the mountains and the open fields, “recording” the landscape and the spirit of the countryside. During this stage of the series, I worked entirely outdoors using watercolors and oil sketches on paper to spontaneously capture shapes, colors, light, and forms.
Upon returning to my studio in New York, I developed larger oil paintings from the images or “records” that were created in Switzerland. I abstracted the forms further, translating what were once fields of plains into fields of color; shadows into line forms. Using an oil/wax medium, I created different textures and finishes to express the nature of the varied landscape. Referring to the watercolors and sketches reminded me of the composition and rhythm of the landscape.