Raymond Theel, Interior of Woods

At 67 inches tall, Interior of Woods is a monumental painting, considered by many to be Theel’s masterpiece. The work envelopes the viewer in a dazzling array of color and bold impasto and conveys the energy of the natural landscape as it springs to life. A solitary, sturdy tree commands the foreground, while a gathering of younger trees and vines occupy the mid-ground of the tableau. A sophisticated approach to juxtaposing warm and cool colors conveys the vitality of daylight on the scene in a sparkling manner, and makes smart use of warm and cool to provide an illusory volume to the trees. Any initial impression at a distance disappears on closer inspection, where a rainbow of colors and a myriad of brushstrokes exist across every inch of the canvas.