The dynamics of light, captured in colour
The painting "Rare Bird VII" (oil on canvas, 40x30 cm, 2025) plays with the presence and transience of a bird emerging from the lively interplay of colors. Vibrant shades of blue, red, and yellow blend with subtle greens, releasing a powerful energy.
The bird is not clearly outlined, but emerges from the movement of the colour itself. The transitions are fluid, as if the bird were visible for just a moment before dissolving back into its surroundings.
All important details at a glance
| Feature |
Details |
| Title |
Rare Bird VII |
| Size |
40 × 30 cm |
| Artist |
Mark Hellbusch |
| Year |
2025 |
| Colors |
Blue, red, yellow, green, white |
| Style |
Abstract Animal Painting |
| Technique |
Oil on canvas |
| Subject |
Bird |
| Theme |
Painting between reality and abstraction |
Movement, transformation and color as form
This work is a play with movement and dissolution of form. The bird seems to fly, turn, disappear, and reappear. Impasto, relief-like applications of paint alternate with gentle glazes, making the light appear to dance across the surface.
What is particularly exciting is the way the motif develops through the open, expressive painting style. A blend of chaotic spontaneity and finely tuned composition emerges, where color is more than just a carrier of forms – it becomes the very content of the work.
The visible artist’s palette – painting process as part of the work
A distinctive feature of this work is the visible artist’s palette integrated into the composition. Traces of paint, overlays, and small imprints reveal the path of its creation – the energy of making remains alive on the canvas.
These traces of work give the painting a special authenticity; they tell of the artistic decision about when a work is "finished" and where the process itself remains part of the final result.
Between reality and abstraction – a balancing act
Like many works in the series, "Rare Bird VII" moves between representational painting and abstract expressiveness. The bird is a being between figure and movement, between the tangible and the dissolved.
The play with this threshold between reality and abstraction creates a fascinating tension: Is the bird really there? Or does it only become complete through our perception? This openness allows each viewer to interpret the work in their own way.
An artwork that changes as you look at it
"Rare Bird VII" is more than a snapshot – it is a reflection on the fleeting, the transitory, and the way our perception shapes images. The intense colors, spontaneous brushwork, and subtle gradations between light and shadow make this painting a dynamic work of art that reveals new aspects with every viewing.
Do you like this painting? You can find more inspiration under
Out of the light,
small formats and
white paintings
About the artist Mark Hellbusch
I have been a freelance painter since 1997 and have worked with a wide variety of themes in painting. While until 2007 I was occupied almost exclusively with expressive painting, today my focus lies more on experimental art. My personal background, as well as almost all artistic themes can be found under “About us.”
Any other questions?
You can reach me by phone at 0176-21916227
or via email: markhellbusch@web.de
