2024
Painting dimension
50 × 40 × 2 cm
Medium
Acrylic and mixed media
Materials / support
Acrylic and textured mixed media on stretched canvas
An atmospheric woodland scene in which soft mist, filtered light and deep violet-green tones create a quiet and contemplative sense of place.
This is one of three paintings arising from a memorable visit to Ushers Lake in Swords in November 2020, when unusually beautiful autumn sunlight was filtering through the trees. The atmosphere changed constantly as the light moved through the woodland, briefly illuminating leaves, branches and patches of undergrowth before they disappeared again into shadow. The work was developed from digitally prepared source material before being extensively worked by hand with acrylic paint and textured media.
Sunbeams and Foliage attempts to capture one of those quieter moments. Rather than depicting every detail of the woodland, the painting concentrates on atmosphere — the cool greens and violets of the shaded trees set against small areas of foliage suddenly brought to life by the passing light.