‘Dawn on Pompeii’
is a large abstract painting featuring a vivid, warm orange and subtle monochromes
180cm x 140cm (71″ x 55″)
Solar Fields
REDUCED!
‘Dawn on Pompeii’
About the painting
There’s something quite grounding about using a series of earthy, natural tones when I paint. I think it’s hard to escape thoughts of nature when you delve into the colour palette that defines the living world around us.
With Dawn on Pompeii I used a combination of orange, black, copper and green with a dahs of white thrown in to help lighten things up. The result is a painting that feels warm and reassuring whilst also being exciting and dramatic.
Oh that orange!
These emotions are mainly centred around the big swathe of orange that dominates the entire piece. It’s sharp angles and changes of direction feel mountainous and capacious to me as well as reminding me of fires burning wildly.
This is thankfully tempered by the calming nature of the lighter tones built around it. A mixture of white, copper and black cool down this fiery centrepiece to create areas of relaxation and yet are still packed solid full of details and interesting nuances.
Finally we have the small slither of green making an appearance from one side. It’s a gentle and subtle reminder of all living things and feels exactly right – never too shouty but just enough.
Great name right?
I had the name fixed for a while but never found the right painting to pair it with until now. I imagine how the city must have been looking during the eruption of Vesuvius on the morning of August the 24th 79AD and it’s always been a historical event that has fascinated me.
I’m a bit of a volcano nerd to be honest! Anyway, if you like drama and love orange then this could be the painting for you. Perfect behind a sofa or on a feature wall in your dining room. How’s that for a conversation piece over the main course then?
The outcome
The result of all of this effort is a painting that delivers on every level. Its bold and bright whilst also being deep and thoughtful. it has rivers of paint everywhere, it has texture it has detail and it has impact. Whatever space this occupies it absolutely owns it – and in a good way! it’s ability to fit in is quite remarkable and that’s down to the combination of colors. Its earthy, natural side helps keep it grounded whilst the energetic and playful side keeps your eyes entertained endlessly.
Add a coupe of spotlights however and the painting reaches even higher levels of intrigue as the metallics start to pop. The nuances of color also begin to show as well as the incredible levels of detail. It’s hard for me to sound objective because I painted it and I love it but I assure you that this is an absolute belter of an artwork.
Hanging options
You may have noticed that I have shown it hung in different orientations on the photographs and that’s because you can hang this in any way you want – even as a diamond. The painting feels different each time you rotate it so you can change the dynamic at any given point to suit your mood or taste.
So if you’re looking for a conversation piece or something to fill up that large empty wall space you have then this would be an excellent place to start. Oh, and it’s also named after the seminal album by Joy Division in case you’re wondering…
Let’s talk…
Drop me a line and I will get back to you as soon as is humanly possible!
Prefer a call? Great, we can have a quick chat about the painting and how easy it is to view
