Virginia-based painter and instructor Randy Griffin enjoys using oils to create intricately-colored, impressionistic paintings. With a paintbrush in hand, he immerses himself in the great outdoors, whether it’s within an immaculate garden, along a gently-lapping lake, or among great U.S. monuments.
Showcasing gorgeous natural colors and subtle features, Wild Yellow Iris Screen caught my attention immediately. Randy has a special talent for dropping in hints of detail that encourage the viewer’s eye to pull together the full scene on its own.
The very shape of these irises is compelling – while some silky petals curve upward, others fall gently downward. The sloping petals consistently draw the viewer’s eye down at an angle to the next iris, while the dark brown, squiggly stems lead the way through ribbons of cornflower blue shadows.
The stems, leaves—even the marble-like background—dulls in comparison to those sweet golden iris blooms, which dot the composition here and there and add an eccentric, happy lightness to the overall scene.
Each of the varying lines in Roses in Turquoise Vase also create a composition that’s hard to tear your eyes away from. Whether they are spiraled lines curving around the vase, thick lines detailing shifts in color among the grouping of leaves, or even the lines of light and shadow accentuating the brilliant blue of the drapes, each line offers more depth and texture than the first and allows the objects in the painting to come alive.
Marbled turquoise blue reflects upon the shiny table, dappled in light from the window, which frames twisting tree branches. I especially love the curvature of the fruit resting in a bowl to the bottom right of the painting, as well as the fine detail in the braided ropes tying back the curtains. Even the flowers possess a certain luster as they face toward the light and splay their petals widely open.
Lastly, greens, purples and pinks drip downward in Pink Waterlillies Under the Willow, Sunset, providing depth to the water as we see the waterlillies floating atop it.
The colors bleed, twirl and fade beautifully into one another—and the details Randy included in this painting are fascinating. Because the majority of the lines are working themselves downward, the juxtaposed placement of the lilies propels them upward and outward.
Each mint-green lily pad, powdery pink bloom, and vibrant purple brushstroke is romantic and dreamlike, while the muddled forest green, maroon and amber hues bring a sense of earthiness to the painting. Together, all the colors heighten each other to brilliant new levels.
Randy has many other works on display at his website, and each painting is more intriguing than the last. Be sure to visit his site to see for yourself!
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