I’m happy to announce that my pastel painting Aurora was awarded 1st Place in the Northwest Pastel Society’s 40th Open International Exhibit. About this painting, juror Loriann Signori said,
“Moody and atmospheric, Mitchell has created a tiny jewel that draws the viewer ever closer. Large paintings bring expansion and small paintings work like small treasures. Mitchell does all this within a sparse composition and limited color. One might say it’s blue, yet that blue is full of nuance and suggestive space. A couple of small orange accents steal the show. Suggestion is more powerful than telling. ‘Aurora’ invites the viewer to explore.“
Mitchell Albala, Aurora, pastel on paper, 6 x 8″
In paintings like this, I play with what I call “the art of implication.” I provide the viewer with enough information to suggest or imply what the subject is — islands at the far end of a body of water, beneath the aurora borealis — but not so much information that the lose the mystery. The viewer must fill in the blanks in their own mind.
Related Links:
Portfolio: Etheral Lightscapes
Blog post: How a Change in Medium Leads to a Change in Creative Expression