Copy of It Was Apparent That The Stone Was Hard Artwork

With my work titled "It was apparent that the stone was hard," my intention was to create a landscape painting that would embody the aesthetics of the seashore, my physical presence, and the sensation of ecological unease. I constructed a wooden support framework, acquired a container of spray foam insulation, and conveyed all materials to a distinctly textured, sandy beach area near my home away from home. I picked a warm, sunny day with little wind, as I was concerned with the time it would take for the spray foam to dry and the possibility of it contaminating the nearby area. I coated the surface of the support with the spray foam, positioned the work foam side down on the textured sand, and sat on it for thirty minutes while it set. The weight of my body pressured the work to capture the relief of the beach along with some of the sand and a single stone. A couple of interesting encounters with curious local beach-goers provided valuable insights on the history of the area, adding depth to the conceptual underpinning of the work as we discussed the past and future-present, ever-changing littoral landscape. The subsequent use of unusual shades of orange, pink, and purple in the studio painting phase serves to position the piece in an environment that is both benign and unsettling, offering a nuanced commentary on the dynamic relationship between humanity and nature. The painting's complexity is created by combining various material references and exploring how contradictions between objects and ideas can evoke simultaneous reactions. The material presence of the work is the primary means through which individuals can engage with what invariably commences as a paradox. In the context of landscape painting, this statement holds particularly true.