There were Shadows on the Road 2004

Ivan Marchuk made 'There Were Shadows on the Road', using what looks like thousands of tiny brushstrokes. Can you imagine the patience, the dedication it took to create this work? It's like he's woven a tapestry with paint, each stroke a tiny thread building up to this incredible scene. I wonder what Marchuk was thinking about as he laid down each stroke, how he felt about the landscape. This piece reminds me of pointillism but with so much more feeling, more texture. The way he captures the light, the shadows, it’s almost dreamlike. It makes you think about how painting, like any art form, is a conversation, a response to the world and to other artists. Marchuk’s unique vision invites us to slow down, to really see the world around us, and to appreciate the beauty in the everyday, even in the shadows.