This painting actually came about by accident.
It was meant to be a commission piece, but the client was unable to give me much in terms of a brief, so I painted what I thought would fit the bill, unfortunately it wasn’t right.
Thankfully many other people liked it and it sold to a lovely lady who has synaesthesia and told me that this painting sounded like a loud cheerful resounding “D” major chord! Which is simply wonderful.
Before I started this painting, I had recently bought some beautiful turquoise paint from our local art store - this tiny little jar cost me almost $50! So I was determined to try out lovely shades of teal and turquoises in this piece, which made a beautiful contrast to the rich orangey gold tones of the hills.
The little hill in the top right hand corner came about intuitively. I usually use burnt umber to do some of my outlines and this particular shape came about. My kids came to examine my picture after it was finished and declared that I had inserted Uluru into my painting, which they were very pleased about. Other people have since said that the hill reminds of The Nut in Tasmania.
The main lesson I have learnt from this particular job is that it is essential that I clarify as best as I can, in as much detail as I can, what clients expect from their art piece. Commissions can be so rewarding to do, but also stressful at times. But each piece is a learning experience, and I am only too appreciative of the learning opportunities it gives me.
