In this series, plein air painter and instructor Jeanne Mackenzie takes a look at new paintings by contemporary artists and points out why they succeed as painted images. This week, Tom Dickson‘s “Donna Painting at 10 10 Pie.”
This piece has a wonderful composition. The diagonal of the tree is countered by the diagonals of the shadows. Yet, none feel right in the middle. Usually, when you have a figure in a painting, it commands direct attention. Placing the figure in shadow has you look at the strong directional lines first. These lines and shapes just happen to be leading you gracefully around the painting and back toward the subtle figure.
