Paula O’Brien

Location – Gibsons
Website – paulaobrien.com
Instagram - paulaobrien.art

I'm a colorist, I paint the LIGHT.

My work has shifted from figurative work to the West Coast world of abstract landscapes, seascapes and digital painting.

I see infinite beauty in the world. I look for the energy and light; the light, shapes and spaces between objects; the shimmering energy that comes from these objects and people into the world. I look deeply into my subjects, from sailboats to dazzling contemporary dancers and fall in love with the beauty of the light falling upon their forms, their shadows and reflections.

I have a long connection with boats and live in a water world. I find beauty in photographing fishing boats, sailboats, and the magical reflective world that lies between boats and water.

My artistic vision, interesting cropping, composition and color combinations define my expressive abstract signature look.

I mainly work in oils on canvas but am also developing digital painting. In oils, I use a lot palette knife, working very fast in a loose alla prima style. My mark making is very deliberate and individual. My favorite mark making tools are cold wax, silicone tip and wooden skewers to squiggle through lines.