8959 Green Castle Way

This house portrait started as an abstract design concept. Because I was working indoors, I decided to use acrylics instead of oil paint, and I was thoroughly flummoxed by the paints instantly drying in the heated studio air. I got caught up in architectural accuracy (I couldn't blend the quick dry paint) and needed a straight edge for the long horizontal and vertical effects. It got more & more realistic, so I played with a hard edge style-then I needed more detail to express the depth. Alas, I realized that the original house painting plan got in the way of a good result. I wanted something loose and expressionistic of 8959, then when it became realistic, my beginnings were tripping me. I should have handled the brick quite different if I had known where I was going. I especially like the entry window & the Bottlebrush tree.

Nice house, Robin & Jeremy.

'Green Door on Green Castle', 30"x15" acrylic on panel 2008