Study for Falls - Jam Brook 1996

Neil Welliver made this square painting, a study of Falls - Jam Brook, with oil on canvas. I can imagine him setting up his easel right there, battling the bugs, and trying to capture the light as it flickers across the water. What's striking is the contrast between the solid greens and browns of the rocks and trees, and the churning whites of the water, which he renders with such energy, in thick, bold strokes. There's a tension between abstraction and representation; a kind of dance on the canvas. You know, painting outside like this puts you in direct conversation with artists like Courbet or the Hudson River School guys. But Welliver’s not just copying nature. He's making it his own, pushing the boundaries of what landscape painting can be. It makes you wonder, what’s the difference between a study and a finished piece anyway? Is it just a matter of time and intention, or is there something more to it?