“The first spark of dawn, afternoon’s last light reflected in water, the moon's glow, or a lifting storm - all can stir emotion or a memory. My oil landscapes, derived from a muted color palette, are intended to create a mood rather than depict a scene with absolute precision. They originate from a small sketch painted or recorded in my sketchbook on site, or they are drawn from my own memory or imagination. The painting is then developed in my studio into the larger final work on oil primed linen canvas with many thin glazed layers of high quality oil paint and the same oil medium used by master artists historically. This lengthy archival process, which can take weeks, gives the finished painting a translucent glow reflecting nature’s own. By focusing my subjects on the striking transitional times of day and night, like early morning and evening, I strive to capture the atmospheric and often elusive intersection between light and shadow.”
- Penny Billings
