“Merced Riverbank” painting

“Merced Riverbank”, 2008, acrylic on canvas, 14×11″

I wanted to paint some landscapes with water, so I pulled out some photos from a couple of road trips I took last year. One trip included the central coast of California, and that painting is still in the planning stages. The other trip included a swing through the city of Merced and a tour of the nearby countryside, including a nice view of the Merced River. That’s the subject of this painting.

I had some fun playing with the colors in the sky, and then subtly pulling them into the water. The air quality around Merced is rather poor, with a brown haze visible daily. The orange colors I used in the sky are my wry nod to the smog.

I took a chance with the composition, allowing a major division to fall on the halfway line. See how the edge of the water cuts the painting almost exactly in half? That’s considered a big no-no in painting composition. But after all, rules are there to be broken occasionally. The trick here was to keep both halves looking like they are part of the same painting.

This painting is one of two I recently completed. Both have very simple compositions. I’m enjoying the freedom that a simpler composition allows me. It really lets me play around with color and technique. Certainly this is work, but it’s play too. An element of play keeps the creative juices flowing.

This painting is available for $350 unframed or $410 framed, and can be shipped anywhere. It is wired and ready to hang. The edges are finished so framing is optional.

Email inquiries welcome: info@barbarajcarter.com

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