Laundry by Jeffrey Larson

"Laundry is the latest in a long series of thematically based paintings. Thirty years ago I came across the Spanish artist Sorolla and it changed the course of my artistic life. I had been trained in the lineage of the Boston school as a classical impressionist, studying four years at Atelier Lack under Richard Lack.  I had also spent several years painting outside ‘plein air’. I thought I had a solid direction for what could be done in capturing outdoor natural light, especially when working with the figure. That is until I saw the Sorolla retrospective. It opened my eyes to another way of translating brilliant outdoor light onto canvas using our limited pigments. I never was interested in painting like him, but instead working to be just as good if possible in my own way. Working with the figure and the sheets as the subject, I had rare control outside, compositionally with color and pattern themes, along with designing quality of light. I could use bounced light, reflected light, transparent light, translucent light, flat light, all as compositional elements and artistic opportunities. With each painting that I have done over the years, I have learned much, but it is in this piece especially that I feel I have achieved something of what it was that I have been working towards." - Jeffrey T. Larson