This series of works produced during 2005 and 2006, continues my quest to observe

and interpret the landscape of Southeastern Ontario at various times of the year.​

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My aim is to reduce the depiction of the landscape to its bare essentials; to concentrate not only on the various concrete elements in the composition, but also on the space around them to balance the positive shapes with the negative. I find in doing this I can capture the essence of the scene and imbue it with a sense of mystery and longing.

I wish to render not only how the landscape looks but also the feeling I get when I look

at it or am surrounded by it. How do I convey the feeling of the sun’s warmth on my

cheek or the texture of bark, the breath of a breeze, or the spiritual qualities of nature?​

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In this series I have used a combination of media, continuing my explorations with colour, line and texture to impart the drama and passion of the landscape. In some cases a charcoal sketch will suggest the nuances of atmosphere. The use of line can convey

the achingly beautiful bend of a branch in the wind, or the arch of distant hills.

 

For me, the most enjoyable part of the act of painting is when the brush takes over and expresses what is in my mind and heart, seemingly under it’s own power. It dictates when more texture and paint are required: a splotch here or a drip there. At the end the artist can only stand back and think, “Ah…. That is what I wanted to say.”

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Alice Burton

July, 2006