Painting of the Day, January 12, 2012

By Donna Poulton

"In the past, I would have an idea for a painting and hold to that idea through to the finish.  I could pretty much see the end result before I started.  There were no surprises.  But now my understanding of the process is that the idea is just the first impulse.  From that first impulse forward, improvisation takes over.  The end result is not about that first idea, but is instead a record of all those impulses along the way.  Each stroke of paint carries emotion and power.  I work in a loose, painterly style in part because I want the viewer to see the process and not hide it behind 'finish;' for the viewer to maybe even feel how a particular piece of paint was put down.”  -- Walt Gonske

Walt Gonske, Arroyo Seco Adobes, oil on canvas, 30 x 32 in. Credit: © Courtesy of the artist and Nedra Matteucci