PHOTO: “Countryside Gate” by Diane Atwood

Oil painting has long been established as a good medium for color and expression. Fine examples of this can be found this month at the Sullivan House Bakery in Gorham. Artist Diane Atwood has mastered this medium quite well. She brings a spontaneous, impressionistic approach to her painting of still lifes and landscapes. Her technique of brushwork and the application of color allows her to construct and define the subject matter with a pleasing, painterly effect.

A good example is the piece “Red Poppies.” Green brush strokes blend and create an environment for the poppy flowers to flash off the surface in a bright red. Another effective piece is “Countryside Gate.” Here her technique effectively suggests the light through the clouds around the foliage, rocks, and gate.

Diane has an art degree from USM and works from her sunny studio at the Dana Warp Mill in Westbrook, overlooking the Presumpscot River.

Stop by the Sullivan House Bakery and take in the beautiful color brushwork and images of Diane Atwood. Her show will be up through October.