WILDFIRES, UNTAMABLE FLAMES, Abstract Oil Paintings
As climate warms, we're seeing longer-term drying and warming of both air and vegetation. Global warming has driven huge increases in wildfires. The 10 largest wildfires on record happened in 2020 and California set a new record from acres burned. Wildfires in California burned exactly 1,823,153 acres of land, and over 8000 wildfires so far!
This increasing heat, changing rain and snow patterns and other climate-related changes have vastly increased the likelihood that fire will start more often and more intensely. Wildfires impact gravely on ecosystems, air, water quality and human health. Of course, wildfires are necessary for forest ecosystems. But their frequency and severity can throw things dangerously out of whack.
This series depicts the effect of wildfires on our ecosystems and how it relates to large quantities of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Alternating between painstaking depictions of specific wildfires and sweeping general views, I present the most emotionally charged aspects of landscape. Choosing the right colors and making hundreds of decisions have become unconscious and instinctive. However for this particular theme, I relied mostly how canvas reacts to many layers of paints over many days of painting. By creating many layers and then destroying them with another application of paint, the background seems that have been through severe destruction itself. Palette knives, brushes were used to create depth and texture. The atmospheric pespective was created by gradated colors.
This increasing heat, changing rain and snow patterns and other climate-related changes have vastly increased the likelihood that fire will start more often and more intensely. Wildfires impact gravely on ecosystems, air, water quality and human health. Of course, wildfires are necessary for forest ecosystems. But their frequency and severity can throw things dangerously out of whack.
This series depicts the effect of wildfires on our ecosystems and how it relates to large quantities of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Alternating between painstaking depictions of specific wildfires and sweeping general views, I present the most emotionally charged aspects of landscape. Choosing the right colors and making hundreds of decisions have become unconscious and instinctive. However for this particular theme, I relied mostly how canvas reacts to many layers of paints over many days of painting. By creating many layers and then destroying them with another application of paint, the background seems that have been through severe destruction itself. Palette knives, brushes were used to create depth and texture. The atmospheric pespective was created by gradated colors.
Fire that's closest, Oil on canvas, 30x48x1.5'
Ablaze, Oil on canvas, 20x30x1.5”
Saffron Skies, Oil on canvas, 24x30x1.5'
On Fire, Oil on canvas, 24x36x1.5"
Radiance, Oil on canvas, 22x28x1.5"
Soar, Oil on canvas, 22x28x1.5"
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Vivid, Oil on canvas, 24x30x1.5"
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Aglow, Oil on canvas, 24x36x1.5"
Luminous, Oil on canvas, 24x36x1.5"
Dazzling, Oil on canvas, 20x22x1"
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Inferno, Oil on canvas, 22x28x1.5"
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Flare, Oil on canvas, 18x24x1"
Fiery, Oil on Gesso Board, 14x18"
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Glare, Oil on canvas, 22x28x1.5"
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Surge, Oil on Gesso Board, 14x18"
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Spark, Oil on Gesso Board, 12x16
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