The Bight, tempera on panel, 7″ x 5″.
The Bight is a small panel painting. Tempera on panel, 5″ x 7″. Its a small painting that is based a favorite fishing spot. A secret spot that exists only at low tide. I discovered it with the help of some neighborhood kids. Though its location is 1&1/2 miles from the capital of Maryland it feels like you are off in the backwoods of Maine.
Small paintings are a challenge. They should have the impact of a large painting but at a smaller size. It isn’t sufficient to shrink a big idea, the painting must be conceptualized on a small scale. For example, when we look at Vermeer’s “Woman with a Red Hat” we see that the artist has simplified his composition. There are fewer elements compared to his larger paintings.