Big Bend Ranch State Park 2016

Felice House created “Big Bend Ranch State Park” with oil paint applied to canvas. Oil paint can be applied in thin glazes or thick impasto, and here, the artist explores both, enriching our experience of this natural setting. House skillfully captures the desert landscape, using the fluid materiality of oil paint to render the rough textures of the rocks, the spiky quality of the cactus, and the dry, arid atmosphere. The painting’s surface reveals House's physical engagement with the scene. Her brushstrokes dance across the canvas, building up layers of color and texture that mimic the ruggedness of the desert. While a traditional medium, oil paint can also be seen as an industrial material; manufactured and distributed on a global scale. Yet, House's expressive use of oil paint transforms it from a commodity into a means of personal expression. She invites us to contemplate our relationship with nature. This work underscores how the artist’s touch and vision can elevate even the most common materials to convey powerful ideas, blurring the boundaries between the fine arts and the wider material world.