Art | Story: Triplicate

Oct 15, 2020

Sometimes we need a strong painting to jolt the senses. Something big. Something bold. Something… red, orange, and yellow. That’s Triplicate, a 36-inch-square painting, the February image for the 2021 Art Calendar

I love the colors in Triplicate and the many words we use to express the precise orangey-red we see — auburn, copper, russet, vermillion, ginger, chestnut, carrot, tangerine. And the yellow isn’t bright, but golden with brown undertones — saffron, honey, dijon, amber, gold, ochre, wheat, toast. But I digress…

Triplicate is both strong and subtle. The brushstrokes blend the colors so that they seem almost vaporous, floating over background shadows and shrouding an old gateway. The fine lines and scoured surface details create an intimate atmosphere and sense of place. But is that a gateway with doors? Or are those windows? It’s a triple mystery.