ART by Tom Leedy                                                                           ellipsis THMB

                                                                         GOLDEN CRANES    

                           

                                  Metallics and acrylic on canvas          Private Collection          40"H x 40"W            I  

                                                                                 Click on image for detail views.

This rendering of cranes on Batiquitos Lagoon near my house was done in the same period as a related work, Birds of Paradise.  Like that one, this painting was inspired, at least in part, by the brushwork and the minimalism of Chinese ink paintings.  The sense of space conveyed in this one is flattened by the gold background but the reflected light and the tracks of the brush strokes create an energy of its own.

A further note on the paint and the light: The appearance of Golden Cranes transforms significantly depending on how it is lighted and, if placed in an area affected by natural lighting, it seems to change throughout the day.  This is true of all paintings, of course, but the effect is more pronounced with this one due to the extensive reliance on reflective metallic paints.  In some ways, this liveliness reminds me of the stained glass art I made many years ago.  I especially love that about it.