Kate Withers - 'Painting Space'

The concept for this piece is based on a b&w photo I took while working in Zion Canyon last summer.   From that.. I drew with a brush and some muddy oil paint I had on my palette diluted with lots of thinner... just a rough sketch on the canvas.  This is only a guide.. the painting will evolve as it will when I add colors. Stay tuned!

Just recently returned from my nine month sojourn in Zion National Park.  Have been busy getting settled opening up my shop/studio and getting ready for some serious concentrated effort...yay!  While in Zion... I took hundreds of photos.. but I was only able to dash off a few small plein-air paintings while there...spent most of my free time hiking and exploring this magnificent area of southern Utah. This spring my plans are to complete several large oils focusing on the imposing Zion monoliths [see sample quick sketch below].  And as for plein-air work.. they will be of the deep deserts found in the outback around Las Vegas and Death Valley.  Hope to post some new work soon!

This is a page from one of my sketch books.. an idea for a large oil painting of water as it hits the submerged rocks in the Colorado River.. the force and beauty of the spray as it catches the light.. the backdrop a stylized version of the desert along the river. The main design to work out is the pattern of the spray and also to try to capture the translucent nature and weight of the water as it rolls by.   And all this action is lit by the late morning light.. refracting.. a feeling of diamonds throw in the air.. liquid magic.