When Light Shines 10 ” x 8″ Oil on canvas $475

This still life continues my exploration of working against a dark ground. I notice how that choice shifts my experience of the setup. It also affects the relationships between colors. Against the darker field, the palette becomes more vivid—yellows feel almost lit from within, purples deepen, edges begin to glow. The objects themselves are familiar to me, returning again and again in different arrangements, but the mood here feels altered. The darkness doesn’t flatten the scene. Instead, it seems to hold the forms. This allows the colors to emerge with a quiet intensity. As I paint, I focus less on describing the objects. I am more attuned to how they assert themselves within this atmosphere.

What I’m most drawn to is how the darker background changes the emotional register of the painting. It brings to mind a relationship with the shadowed or less illuminated parts of ourselves. These are areas that can reveal unexpected strength and clarity when acknowledged rather than avoided. In these paintings, the darkness isn’t something to overcome. It becomes a partner. It provides a context that allows other qualities to surface. I’m continuing to work this way because it feels revealing and unresolved in the best sense. Each still life offers a slightly different conversation. I’m following that thread with curiosity. The meaning unfolds as the paint does.

I’d love to hear what this piece brings to mind for you.

Categories: Interiors, New Paintings, Original oil paintings, Still LifeTags: contemporary still life, everyday objects, expressionism, fine art, glowing color, mood in painting, moody still life, oil paintings, original artwork, painting on canvas, still life paintings, still life with lemons