James Brown
“The Goreme Valley”, 2023
Oil on board
Size: 45 x 45
cm
This painting
depicts a small section of the vast panoramic view of the Göreme Valley as seen
from the high lookout at Aydinli-Orta Mh in Cappadocia, central Türkiye. It
highlights one of nature’s most remarkable geological formations: the
erosion-carved rock pinnacles known as "fairy chimneys," some adorned
with cave dwellings carved by early inhabitants.
During my stay
in Cappadocia, Isabelle and I had the extraordinary opportunity to lodge in one
of these rock-carved caves for a few days. From personal experience, I can attest that the
gritty texture of the rock—its walls, roof, and floor—is an unmistakable aspect
of the experience. This fine, pervasive dust has a way of infiltrating your bed
and luggage, leaving a lasting reminder of life within the caves.
In creating
this painting, I aimed to capture the essence of these rugged, weathered rock
towers. To achieve this effect, I applied the paint in a dry, scumbled manner,
using a greater proportion of white pigment than I typically do. This
intentional choice allowed me to create a chalky, crumbly quality in the paint,
effectively echoing the textures of the fairy chimneys and the caves that
punctuate them.
No comments:
Post a Comment