Echo

16 in x 24 in

6/2026

I used 43 different neutral tones in this painting, and decided to design a repetitive grid of vertical rectangular shapes coupled with three concentric circles laid down with a geometric compass. I decided to fill in the circles with neutrals of similar hues, starting with lighter colors in the middle and then radiating out to darker and darker tones. Finally, I applied glass beads in fairly thick impasto to overly the circular boundaries. The glass bead overlay is semi-transparent, so the underlying transitional zones are still visible. To me, the painting reads as a quiet, disciplined exploration of rhythm, resonance, and atmosphere, using geometry and a restrained palette to evoke sound waves or ripples in space. The circles establish a clear focal point and introduce a sense of “echo” or wavefronts radiating outward. Because the largest circles move off the edges of the canvas, the image feels cropped from a larger system, as if only a slice of an ongoing pattern is visible. The strict verticality of the background bars along with the curvature of the circles creates a tension between linear order and cyclical movement. The eye naturally oscillates between a stable center and an implied outward expansion. The gradient from lighter tones in the middle to darker tones toward the perimeter produces a soft “glow,” as if the central circle is emitting light. Variations in surface such as matte vs. metallic or smooth versus impasto finish add further visual interest. When the painting is viewed at different angles, the character of the bars shifts, echoing the theme of changing signals or pulses. The darkening concentric circles feel like expanding wavefronts from a central emission of sound, as an echo might appear visually.