Gregory Hennen

Region: South

The organization of space, the essentiality of color, and the quality of light fascinate me. Depicting the natural world exactly is not what I do. Instead, my work reflects what I see and how I feel over time. I generally develop the painting from several small drawings worked on location.

In a palette of close tonalities, objects and space organized in a carefully planned composition create an allover patterning of color and shape that at times verges on abstraction. I outline objects such as trees, foliage, and bodies of water with a darker shade in order to clarify the individual elements in the landscape. Each piece is about rather than of a landscape, as it does not necessarily depict a precise site or location. Finished paintings are often composites of several images that have evolved from a realistic portrayal to a simplified interpretation. I paint to express my love and respect for nature and to cultivate these feelings in others.