While the Sky Waits for Instructions

There were a lot of pauses in this painting where nothing seemed to happen. The brown blocky area was just patiently holding court. I have seen brown differently since I moved to the countryside. It isn't just a colour. It changes with the seasons and becomes different statements. The darker browns of the earth as it is dug up, patiently waiting for the next stage of growing. The browns of the piles of manure, ready, anticipating being spread on the fields. There is a solid maturity to these browns. It's like how an older sibling should be in the colour world.

I painted different layers only to wipe them out again. The warm white jagged shape from the rock formations is apparent on the right-hand side, and so is the continuous brushstroke in blue.

Drips are as important in my work as brushstrokes. You can guide them or slow them down by changing the angle of the canvas as they flow. Where you choose to stop a drip is a compositional decision.

I think the last mark made in this painting was the blue dot in the middle. Right out front, sure of its place in the world.