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By Barbara Sherwood
Rappahannock News Writer
The landscape and still life oil paintings of Millwood artist David Williams reflect the satisfying life of an artist living and painting in the country. His landscapes recall the work of mid 19th century Barbizon painters, who went out into the woods and fields of the Barbizon region in France to paint nature directly.
Williams’ outdoor palette is rich in earthy greens, soft blues and naples yellow, the overall tonal quality warmed by his use of sienna. His confident brushwork carries subtle, carefully observed value changes. Simple masses create satisfying and restful compositions. A soft light permeates even the brightest days.
His brushwork leads the eye to the focus, defining in a precise way when necessary. An abstract vision is the strong underpinning of each composition.
Robert Henri, the American painter and teacher of the early 20th century who believed that everyone is vitally concerned in the happiness and wisdom to be found through the arts, is a mentor of Williams’. He favored a spontaneous approach to painting.
Williams aims to finish each painting on site, and prefers to leave his mistakes to learn from, rather than breaking into the work of the day to fix something. This invariably leads to readjusting other areas of the painting, which affects what has been
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