A Whisper of Stones

 

A Whisper of Stones is a poetic reflection on solitude and contemplation, depicting a lone traveler and his horse. Rather than riding, the traveler walks beside his companion, suggesting he is in no hurry. This simple choice sets the pace of the scene—a slow, deliberate journey where time is unimportant. As he moves through the towering rock formations, we can imagine he is not just passing through, but taking in the beauty of the land, especially under the warm glow of sunset.

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This intimate 10×8-inch oil painting resonates with something the great Moebius once said that caught my attention. When asked why he often worked on small formats, he explained that he liked the idea of small windows opening onto vast worlds. That idea was at the heart of this painting—to capture a traveler and his horse moving through an imposing citadel of rock, all within the confines of a small frame.

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That same sense of scale shapes how the painting is experienced. Its modest size invites only one viewer at a time, creating an intimate encounter that mirrors the traveler’s quiet solitude.

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In the composition, the rider and his horse are dwarfed by their surroundings, while the viewer, in turn, looms larger than the entire scene. I enjoy playing with this dynamic when choosing a painting’s format—considering how scale influences perception and deepens the connection between the viewer and the world within the frame.

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This piece is framed in a high-end, hand-carved, gold-leafed frame by Mayen Olson (CA), adding another layer of craftsmanship to the painting.​