Oil paint, canvas

Abstract impressionist landscape by Sargentville, MA artist, Robert W. Starkey. This painting features a morning/afternoon winter scene in Philadelphia with soft pastel tones of pink and blue, accentuating the bold impressionist strokes of the tree branches. Signed at the back by the artist. Unframed but framing options are available.

As an artist, I have always been drawn to the landscape as the inspiration for my art. I work “en plein air” with pencil, watercolor, pastel and oil. Initially what pulls me in is the land’s color statement and visual drama. Within the direct process of painting, it is the “mood” or the “poetry” of the place that becomes the challenge to capture. Being on location I need to work quickly to capture the light, composition and specific nuances. This approach generally defines my work as being created in an Impressionist style. When expanding those initial sketches in the studio, I find the creative excitement arises from the manipulation of the colors with distinct marks and how they work in harmony. Presently, the brush, as the sole tool for rendering the image has been put aside and now I am applying the paint directly with my fingers. A form of “finger painting” managed in a controlled fashion. The composition’s evolution is more visually expressive and that is directly related to the action of the paint application, a form of Expressionism. This direct and sensitive contact allows me to literally “feel” the particular space that I am trying to harness. Painting becomes an intensified tactile experience created from the transparent paint layering and actual record of the finger print gestures. Using this immediate “touch” has connected me more intimately to the visual and poetry of a specific place. My wife, Rada, and I live on the Blue Hill Peninsula in the town of Sargentville, ME.

H 30 in. x W 24 in. x D .75 in.