Ivan Unwin's, use of a limited palette allows him to establish a strong mood in this work. He appropriately named this painting, 'At the Edge of the Earth'. And, it certainly captures that forlorn, empty feeling - that sense of being in a place far removed from human life.
Ivan not only painted this work with a restricted palette, but it is coldly realistic in style. There is a feeling of winter death about it. The grey ice is almost metallic and the dead trees stick above the barren marshland.
Ivan balances his cool colours with ochres. But hereto the warm colours have an an earthy coolness. And if that isn't enough, there are clumps of snow in the foreground around their base.
I like the way things tilt in this work towards the upper left. The light in the pond, and the hills in the horizon all move toward the distant vanishing point. And, for that matter, several of the leaning trees lean like direction signs pointing the eye to that unknowable distant place.
Ivan tells me that its a place near his home, and he walks his dog past it each day.
Click here to find Ivan's presence on the Spirit of the Hills, website.
Great stuff, painting and interpretation...
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