Wide Sweep: A Reflection on Art, Nature, and Chaos

Painting Nature in Motion

Wide Sweep abstract landscspe is 95” x 59”, acrylic on unstretched canvas.

I’ve always been drawn to landscapes. Maybe it’s because they’re never really still. They’re alive, shifting, constantly changing. This painting, "Wide Sweep," is my way of capturing that movement . You can’t hold onto, but you feel it deep in your bones.

Living in a city where farmland practically spills into neighborhoods has been an inspiration. The fields stretch out, almost touching the ocean just blocks away. It’s like two worlds colliding. And when storms roll in off the Pacific, everything seems to blur. The land and sky become one chaotic swirl. That’s what I wanted to paint here. I want to cspture that wild, untamed energy.

A Midwest Connection

"Wide Sweep" captures the chaos and energy of storms over farmland and ocean, blending movement and boldness into a 95-inch-wide abstract painting.

This piece has roots in the Midwest too. My wife and I travel to a small farming town there pretty often. It’s a place where people sometimes call the prairie “blue prairie.” The way the fields stretch endlessly can look like an ocean. And then here I am, living by an actual ocean with farmland just outside the city. So naturally, I couldn’t resist blending those two worlds into one big, sprawling painting.

The Chaos of Blue

"Wide Sweep" isn’t your typical calming blue landscape. I know, blue usually makes people think of peace and serenity.. But not here. This blue is restless. It’s got movement and chaos. When I painted it, I wasn’t thinking about calming anyone down. I wanted to stir things up. The energy of storms, the tension between land and sky, the way everything seems to vibrate with life. That’s what’s in this painting.

Why Paint Big?

This piece is big. Ninety-five inches wide kind of big. Why? Because it’s meant to grab you. When something this size takes up a wall, you can’t ignore it. It’s like standing in the middle of a storm. The kind where you’re not sure if you should run or just stand there and take it all in. I wanted it to feel like the land, sky, and storm had all crashed into the room.

Where It Belongs

A painting like this isn’t for everyone, but for the right space like an office, a commercial space, or even a bold home. It’s perfect. It’s got energy that makes a room come alive. You can’t help but feel it.