Backhaus, The Gentle Surf (Shark Harbor), 8 x 10, oil
Artist Comments
As a representational painter, I am dedicated exclusively to exploring to the fullest, the potential of subjects in and around my life. Painting is not just an illusion in two dimensions but a moment in life captured on canvas. Painting is like a language, varying in mood and atmosphere, reflecting the diversities of life itself. I enjoy the challenges of painting various subject matter, so my approach to the painting process is to involve the viewer with those subjects as much as possible. My painted interpretations balance suggestive information with proper information inviting the viewer to become part of the process, translating and finishing parts of the painting themselves. Engaging the viewer in this way is much more interesting than if the painting is totally spelled out for them. I want the viewer to see the use of the medium, the end of each brush stroke, the spontaneity, the assuredness of knowledge. If I can give the viewer a sense of atmosphere, light and shadow in the scene—maybe just to open their eyes to the simple beauty around us—then I feel I have accomplished my goals.
As a representational painter, I am dedicated exclusively to exploring to the fullest, the potential of subjects in and around my life. Painting is not just an illusion in two dimensions but a moment in life captured on canvas. Painting is like a language, varying in mood and atmosphere, reflecting the diversities of life itself. I enjoy the challenges of painting various subject matter, so my approach to the painting process is to involve the viewer with those subjects as much as possible. My painted interpretations balance suggestive information with proper information inviting the viewer to become part of the process, translating and finishing parts of the painting themselves. Engaging the viewer in this way is much more interesting than if the painting is totally spelled out for them. I want the viewer to see the use of the medium, the end of each brush stroke, the spontaneity, the assuredness of knowledge. If I can give the viewer a sense of atmosphere, light and shadow in the scene—maybe just to open their eyes to the simple beauty around us—then I feel I have accomplished my goals.
http://www.kennbackhaus.com/