This painting was originally completed some years back, and has always been one I loved. But there was a problem I couldn’t quite put my finger on, and it languished in and around the studio and galleries for years. It would go into storage, then come back out for a while, then go back in. I pulled it back out during the height of the pandemic and decided to tackle what was bothering me.
I realized the white glare that filled the window was pulling my eye there... and there was no reward in it! You were being drawn to just a white rectangle. It contrasted so much, your eye would just go back to it constantly. The focus is the interior. Yes, for the sake of its plethora of shapes and stuff, but also because of where this interior is! This elevated A-frame sits on an island, totally apart from any sort of utilities or infrastructure. Every piece of this place was brought over on a boat, and built right on site... a stunningly beautiful locale along the Sound side of the Outer Banks of NC. The area we were traveling is known as Core Banks, and its remoteness and beauty really hits you.
I felt in order to illustrate the location that makes this place so special, I had to include an impression of what lies outside this elevated A- frame structure. I tried to strike a balance between being able to see out, but still maintain the effect of brightness streaming in through the window. I added impressionistic strokes around the window, to imitate the effect of looking into a bright light source. But I also wanted to express an idea of the exterior view. I imagined the general palette of the landscape, and created enough to impressionistically set the surroundings. I feel happy with how it ended up!
Core Banks Kitchen #2, for sale now in my Store!