I paint moving water as often I possible. I find it immensely challenging, confusing and yet interesting to paint a constantly changing abstract ‘thing’ that, in itself, is colorless and lifeless. Yet wild water is so alive you can’t keep track of it, and reducing it to two dimensions is tricky. When it happens in a painting is more luck than anything. No reference photos for this painting, I just went for it in the studio. This board was primed with Mars Red and you can see that dark dried-blood color peeking through the other colors, providing a solid warmth behind all the rest of it. It’s a powerful color that requires some careful use.

I did say I didn’t use a reference, but the spark for this painting came from this photo I took while on the Tunnel Creek Trail in the Olympics. Can you see it? Not really? I can see water running over a log, green bounced light – and then I built a painting around it like a songwriter makes a song.

Here’s how it ended up with a frame and mat, and sitting on my studio deck.

This painting is sold. It’s framed like it shows here and the outside measurements are about 20″ x 24″. The acrylic painting is on board and is 10″x 14″. I only say this about the measurements because I’ve been getting requests for commissions for paintings SIMILAR to ones that have sold from this blog. Happy to try it if it interests me. Let us know if you’re interested by emailing me at larry@larryeifert.com. 

Thanks for reading this week. 

Larry Eifert

Here’s my Facebook fan page. I post lots of other stuff there.

Click here to go to our main website – with jigsaw puzzles, prints, interpretive portfolios and lots of other stuff.

Nancy’s web portfolio of stunning photography and paintings

And here to go to Virginia Eifert’s website. Art, words and life from a former generation.