With this artwork, I wanted to created something almost entirely with palette knives. I've always been a huge fan of artists who use impasto work on their art, Van Gogh being an all-time favorite, so I wanted to dig into how I could layer textures and values. For the composition I chose to study the pond I created in my backyard. Every summer we get these bright orange dragonflies that visit and hang out on top of the pickerelweed, a tall and stalky leaf with a lavender bush-like flower jutting out of its core. They love these flowers because they get to see all the mosquitos and gnats that visit and prey on them from up-high. Normally they're gone by dusk, but I've caught them a couple times gleaming in the lowering sun. It's a magical sight. Naturally, I wanted to create a scene that showed my appreciation for those small and rare moments. I wanted it to feel a little looser and more impressionistic than defined, preferring spur-of-the-moment decisions to calculated ones. The acrylic paint helped with this, as it dries quickly. By the end I was left with a more three-dimensional look and scraped textures throughout.

Original 1 of 1 painting, 9 inch by 12 inch canvas, painted with acrylic paint and palette knives.

Sales tax included in price. Digital image does not include licensing unless otherwise agreed upon.