Painting Statement

 Mood and Mystery

I am in the woods. Lagoon to my left, giant cedars on the right. Mist rises in a thin veil as if illuminating an alternate world. There is a sense of mystery and a feeling of comfort and peace; a magical embrace in a cathedral forest provides sanctuary.

A moldery scent of greenery gone by and brilliant red leaves, form patterns on the trail. Colors are intense after a rain. Damp brings out the richest color, like stones, luminous under water. Cedar tree appears green and I see alizarin, gold and blue. There are a thousand shades of green. Sun strikes foliage and light glistens white. Deepest shadows are as dark as raven.

In my studio I recall shapes, colors, lines and form. I remember smells and sounds, memorialize the place with paint. I begin with thin layers of oily warm transparent hues, mutating into thick painterly brush marks. Each layer stamps the recollection of that day’s hike or ride, the pieces unfold in a contemplative manner, with one mark informing the next.

I am especially fond of the spaces between the branches. The shapes that twist and flow behind the scenes. Ambient light brings significance to the rich dark foliage.

The finished piece is a mosaic of light, weaving and interlacing patterns and color. Like stained glass, they represent the mystery beneath the surface, the layer woven between worlds. I paint this island as sanctuary. A woodland temple and shelter from the storm.

2022 

Paintings by Teresa Smith • All Paintings • All Artists