Wishes Beneath the Surface

Golden, coin-like orbs drift weightlessly across a backdrop of deep cerulean and sapphire tones, evoking the serenity and symbolism of a wishing well. Visual cues include abstract water surface, coin-like orbs, and light reflections.

The palette is anchored by amber, blue, and bronze. The composition is horizontal.

The impressionism character makes Wishes Beneath the Surface a natural fit for a bathroom. It also shows well in a dining room and hallway.

In commercial spaces, it suits dental office and medical clinic. A horizontal hang reads well above a sofa or a low credenza.

The dominant register is amber, blue, bronze, navy, and purple. A cool atmosphere holds the surface together — the piece feels collected rather than charged.

The painter works in oil on stretched canvas, with no division of labour between sketch and finish. Brushwork is varied across the canvas — broader passages laid in first, finer detail brought up over the dry underpainting.

The impressionism character runs through the underpainting, while the abstract water surface feel emerges in the surface passes. The painter closes the cycle on Wishes Beneath the Surface with standard drying times and a clear final varnish, so the work is built to age well. The horizontal stretch is keyed at the long edges first; that is what keeps the canvas from bowing across a wider span.

A long canvas reads best across a wall where the eye can travel — above a bed, a console table, or a banquette. Allow the bottom edge to sit a hand-span above the surface below — about 20 cm — so the work doesn’t feel piled.

Wishes Beneath the Surface suits a bathroom that is built around one piece rather than a collection. For Wishes Beneath the Surface, step back twice the canvas height once it’s hung — the brushwork resolves at that distance.