NORTHERN LIGHTS
It’s during the dark times of the year when lights seem most magical…and sought after. I’ve always loved colored lights, especially during the winter when things can seem dreary and monochromatic.
These are fine, but sometimes nature will weigh in with a spectral show in the form of a meteor shower or even the Aurora Borealis. These can be spellbinding in their beauty and randomness.
When I painted this, I imagined an artistic wizard great enough to use the sky for his canvas and put on a display of color and light visible for hundreds of miles.
Additional images from NORTHERN LIGHTS
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Although a compact work, this painting deceives the eye and conveys enormity of scale. Michael’s work again gives the viewer contrasting physical feelings of cold, conveyed by the snow, and warmth, conveyed by the candle lit pagoda.
The viewer’s eye is drawn to the central figure surrounded by the candles, but the star of this show is the incredible light show in the sky! Michael’s bold colors, combined with his amazing brushwork, give us a breathtaking sight of a dark, but brilliant sky(again the use of skillfully rendered contrasts), that isn’t a still image but rather awash in motion.
The immensity of the sky is shown by the tree line on the bottom right which recedes in size as it proceeds into the distance. Again a testament to the power of this image which belies its size.
I enjoyed reading Michael’s take on what he was drawing. His work always messages on many levels and invites the viewer to see for himself or herself what they may. I have always envisioned the wizard as a father figure encouraging little ones, here shown as delicate birds, to take flight and explore the wonderment that nature offers us. What better gift could an adult offer to youth to celebrate the joy of the holiday season?
Thank you Michael! A perfect gift for this day!