Week 6. "The Field" 18"x24" oil on canvas

Often, I find that the most difficult thing about a painting is not what to put in, but what to leave out. With every piece I do I am always attempting to make it as universal as possible, meaning I'd like every human, from every part of the earth and of every age to be able to relate to the painting in some way. One of the techniques that I use to achieve this "universality" is to imply objects, people or places, but not to portray them in perfect detail (this also helps me to control what the viewer will focus on most and also, often, to create a sense of movement). Although the face in this piece is in detail, the world in which she inhabits could be anywhere at all; the flowers could be any flowers and the birds could be practically any type. What I'm doing here is asking the viewer to interact with the piece, to use his or her imagination to fill in the blanks. The piece does not tell you that those are roses behind her, but if you have a fondness for roses then that's what they will be. To someone else they may be wildflowers, or tulips, or carnations, or... So, even though the subject is specific, the field could be almost anywhere, it's an archetype, universal.
This is the second and final installment of the "Subject... My Wife" diptych. See Week 4 for the first part, "The Red Room".