Late 20th Century Unsigned Original Fine Art Abstract Landscape Watercolor Painting on Paper of Tall Grasses and Water by Artist Ellen Shannon

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This original watercolor painting presents a layered natural study where gestural brushwork and fluid washes intersect with moments of linear … Read more This original watercolor painting presents a layered natural study where gestural brushwork and fluid washes intersect with moments of linear precision. The composition is built upon vertical and diagonal rhythms, suggesting reeds or tall grasses emerging from a body of water, with loosely defined plant forms reaching upward. The artist uses a restrained palette dominated by earth tones—rust, ochre, olive, and sienna—interspersed with subtle applications of green and blue, creating tonal variation and spatial depth. Broad, translucent washes bleed into one another, setting a diffused background that contrasts with the sharpness of the ink-like lines and dry-brushed strokes layered above.

The artist’s technique relies on wet-on-wet layering and controlled bleeding, balanced by dry-edge detailing and varied brush pressures to form organic textures. Negative space is strategically preserved, allowing unpainted paper to serve as both light source and structural pause within the dense visual field. Marks are confident yet spontaneous, with overlapping strokes that imply foliage or shadows without defining specific objects. The reflective water surface at the bottom features horizontal strokes and mirrored forms, grounding the scene. The work invites close viewing to trace how pigment settles, pools, and fractures across the textured paper surface, evidencing both restraint and improvisation in its execution.

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