Play of color, line, and light
The painting "Rare Squirrel IV" (oil on canvas, 40x30 cm, 2025) combines expressive color fields with fine, sketch-like lines, creating a composition that moves between figuration and abstraction. Luminous yellows and greens only hint at the animal’s form, while blues and earth tones give the scene depth and structure.
The motif appears to be in a state of movement or transformation – as if the squirrel were emerging from light and color and dissolving again in the next moment.
All important details at a glance
| Feature |
Details |
| Title |
Rare Squirrel IV |
| Artist |
Mark Hellbusch |
| Size |
40x30 cm |
| Year |
2025 |
| Colors |
Yellow, green, blue, earthy tones |
| Style |
Abstract Animal Painting |
| Technique |
Oil on Canvas |
| Motif |
Squirrel |
| Theme |
Movement, nature, light |
| Shipping |
Free of charge |
The power of the line – sketch meets color
A central feature of this work is the interplay of painting and drawing. While the squirrel emerges from flowing areas of color, some of its outlines remain only as fine, suggested lines. This creates a tension between density and emptiness, between the visible and the imaginary.
This open, fragmentary depiction invites you not only to look at the painting, but to complete it with your own perception. The combination of free brushwork and delicate lines reinforces the feeling of lightness and movement.
The Visible Artist's Palette – Painting Process as Part of the Work
Like many works in this series, “Rare Squirrel IV” contains traces of the creative process. The visible artist’s palette integrated into the work reveals the immediate, spontaneous nature of the painting. Paint residues, mixtures and traces of brush dynamics remain on the canvas, as if the painting were still in flux.
This element is a reminder that art is a living, breathing process – a moment of becoming, captured in oil and pigment.
Movement, nature, and perception
The squirrel is a symbol of energy, curiosity and fleeting moments. In this work it is not depicted as a fixed figure, but as something that takes shape from its surroundings and merges with them. The connection between animal and nature becomes palpable – as if the light itself were forming the contours of the animal.
This openness keeps the painting ambiguous and captivating. It challenges the gaze to explore the balance between abstraction and figuration and to discover ever new details.
