Painting of the Day, October 29, 2011

By Donna Poulton

Doug Braithwaite, Alley Parking, 2009, 32 x 36 in., Private Collection

Committed to painting outdoors rather than the comfort of his studio, contemporary artist Doug Braithwaite depicts ‘slice of life’ images from his everyday experience.  Working in both the urban and rural western landscape, Doug sees form and color reference in the most unlikely places. In this image of a back alley in Park City, Utah, Braithwaite achieves deep visual layering using the natural incline of the hill, the rhythm of the structures of the old mining town, and keyed light to interpret an otherwise commonplace scene.