MORNING PUJA

(Click image to enlarge)

For this composition I gathered objects from my morning meditation table. My initial reference photo was taken from farther away with objects standing alone. I like the close up of images better so I pushed objects together and moved in closer for the photo.

This is my seventh painting of a mason jar. I like seeing how light, water and objects play off the glass. There is a lit candle inside this jar giving it a lot of light and sparkle. The spoon and the beads reflect the light from the jar.

Initially I had a series of books standing in the background, but it was way too busy so I eliminated them. The one thing about this painting that concerns me is the way the open journal cuts right through the middle of the composition. It does lead the eye to the photograph, but I worry that it is too harsh of a transition.

I like this painting and the way the colors turned out. The more I paint the brighter the colors and the greater the contrasts it seems.