Rockwell Kent's Adirondack Landscape 1940; Under The Giving Sun in 2013.

Under The Giving Sun  C.t.Rasmuss, lucid mosaic (2013).

Rockwell Kent's: 'Adirondack Landscape from 1940; I first came across this painting last year at The Dayton Art Institute(and a few weeks ago I was able to re-visit and take the photo this time); I'd heard of Rockwell Kent before, but just his name, not much more than that, but when I came upon this painting, instantly I had to draw it! As I quickly sketched it, as usual, with any other work of art, I started to learn more about it's composition, simple as it may have seemed; as it was just a landscape with trees, a sky, and clouds. Even so, I became more and more interested in the unique styling of these common, compositional elements; which later without foresight, became the focus of a 200-150 hour labor intensive lucid mosaic.

Adirondack Landscape  Rockwell Kent, oil (1940).

 These compositional elements which I'm referring to the: trees, shrubs and clouds(which I did not end up including in the final artwork) caught my eye and gave me the idea to turn this composition into my next lucid mosaic. The trees, which were my favorite part overall, are how they seem realistic, but have exaggerated openings allowing the landscape to pierce through; this shape-like characteristic allows for unique and organic objects possible, to be included in one of my mosaics; this goes for the shrubs as well(and clouds if I'd included them).

Three Hills  C.t.Rasmuss, lucid mosaic (2012).

 When it came to the clouds, I had changed my mind near the end, they just didn't seem to be enough anymore, so I replaced them with a “majestic” sunrise & sun-rays, for an “East meets West” touch. I believe the need for this change was caused from the extra row of trees/shrubs I place on the secondary wave of landscape; I did this to create and existential component, as I believe Kent's original had a touch of it, and as an artist in the 21^st century it's my duty to try and improve on any work, or movement by the master's.

Click here to learn more on artist: Rockwell Kent

Original sketch at Dayton Art Institute by C.T.Rasmuss, ink (2013).