Title: Forest Rhythm: I, II, III
Artist: Cathryn Cooper
Medium & Materials: Acrylic and graphite on heavy-body canvas
Dimensions: Triptych of three 24" H × 18" W panels; 24" H × 54" W overall when installed edge to edge (60.96 cm × 137.16 cm). Each panel is vertically oriented.
This monumental abstract-impressionist triptych captures the pulsing rhythm of a New England river clearing in late summer. Across three canvases, water and light move continuously from a deeply shaded forest path on the left, through a sun-dappled interior glen at center, to a rushing hillside stream and cascading waterfall on the right.
Gallery Description
- In the triptych Forest Rhythm: I, II, III, contemporary landscape painter Cathryn Cooper creates an immersive panoramic woodland experience across three balanced 24" × 18" vertical canvases. Rather than relying on static blending, she uses a continuous horizontal current of churning water and multidirectional marks to unite the three panels as one rhythmic environment.
- Panel I — Left: A quiet, deeply shaded forest edge establishes the installation’s grounded entry point. Slender, light-absorbing tree trunks, scumbled in rich indigo, charcoal, and deep teal, form a dense vertical screen that gradually opens onto a faint country lane winding toward a misty clearing.
- Panel II — Center: The composition opens into a brilliant, sun-dappled glen. Fresh sage, emerald, and chartreuse greens animate the upper canopy, while loaded strokes of cadmium orange, gold, and warm amber along the left edge suggest seasonal change. Below, the river breaks into frothy rapids rendered in loose horizontal sweeps of turquoise and titanium white.
- Panel III — Right: The narrative reaches its energetic peak in a steep, moss-covered granite gorge. A multi-tiered waterfall descends from the upper right, slicing over flat stone slabs and chiseled rock shelves before crashing into the main river channel and scattering bright teal highlights across the deep pool below.
- Across all three canvases, Cooper layers rapid, calligraphic graphite marks over wet paint to articulate branches, moss patterns, rock faces, and water currents. Her physical brushwork and command of high-contrast values transform the wilderness view into a powerful visual sanctuary and a commanding centerpiece for a contemporary collection.
Style & Composition
- Artistic Style: Abstract Impressionism, lyrical abstraction, and expressive tonal landscape painting.
- Composition: A panoramic triptych organized around a continuous river channel that guides the eye across three vertical frameworks: an indigo tree screen at left, a bright central glen, and a cascading waterfall at right.
- Focal Point: The high-contrast right quadrant of Panel III, where bright titanium-white impasto marks in the waterfall cut sharply against light-absorbing charcoal and forest-green granite crevices.
- Color Palette: A sophisticated seasonal spectrum dominated by emerald, jade, and chartreuse greens, balanced by deep indigo and cerulean blues, cadmium orange, warm amber, and crisp white highlights.
- Lighting & Atmosphere: Dramatic backlit morning light filters through the active leaf canopy, casting the forest floor into deep shadow while illuminating the rapids with a crisp, restorative New England mood.
Application & Stylistic Technique
- Brushwork & Mark-Making: Broad transparent underglazes establish atmospheric depth, thick horizontal palette-knife passes build foam and rushing water, and sharp calligraphic graphite marks define branches, currents, and rock faces.
- Layering & Depth: Transparent layering and strong value contrasts create convincing recession. Crisp dark trunks and bright waterfall passages advance toward the viewer, while softly blended, light-filled clouds and distant blue forest forms recede into atmospheric space.
- Materials & Tools: Heavy-body and fluid acrylic mediums are combined with premium water-soluble graphite on three fine-grain stretched canvases. Wide wash brushes and script liners preserve raw surface texture and fluid, organic movement across the triptych.
Inventory Status: Available for purchase online or in the gallery.
Shipping / Pickup: Shipping is available, securely packaged with professional archival materials, insured, and shipped globally; complimentary local pickup is also available at our 23 North Main Street gallery.
