"Enchanted Forest," 2024, Original Artwork by Brian Balthazar

"Enchanted Forest" is a reflection of my current obsession with escapism. For years, my paintings had an abstract ethereal quality, but lately I've become more inclined to explore more realistic landscapes. But even that has evolved in recent months. The state of affairs in the 'real' world more recently drove me to take my existing approach to landscapes in a new direction for this piece, which takes on an almost fairy-tale quality.  I've always loved nature, and I grew up surrounded by forests and woods, so this scene, which could easily be the setting for a fairy tale, is saturated with rich shades of green, limes, and bright grassy tones. So, while the painting style for me personally is more detailed than my earlier work, it's more surreal in its approach to color. I want to immerse myself in this place right now, and I plan to explore more in this palate for some time to come. "Enchanted Forest," acrylic on canvas Size - 20" x 10" by 1/2 inch-deep canvas frame The canvas is stretched onto a wood frame, but the canvas itself is not in a decorative frame