Base of Falls 1989

Neil Welliver made this large square painting called ‘Base of Falls’ with visible brushstrokes and a muted palette of blues, greens, and whites. I can imagine Neil standing there, in front of the waterfall, trying to capture the movement of the water and the stillness of the rocks. It’s not photorealistic, but it has a real sense of place. The paint is applied in layers, with a kind of deliberate awkwardness, giving it a tactile quality. Look at the way he’s rendered the water – short, choppy strokes that convey its energy and flow. You can feel the coolness of the water and the dampness of the rocks. Welliver was deeply committed to painting from observation, and this painting reminds me a little of Fairfield Porter, another painter who found beauty in the everyday. Artists are always looking at each other, riffing off each other, and pushing painting in new directions. This piece is an exploration of perception, a reminder that painting is not just about representation but about feeling, thinking, and seeing.