A found object of painting

“Small Find in the Green” originated from a cut-out of a painter’s palette. What was originally part of a working process was removed from its context and further developed into an independent painting.

In a small space, layers of color, overlays and traces of numerous decisions condense into a lively composition full of subtle transitions and surprising details.

A picture within a picture

The intensely colored section appears like a small window within a larger pictorial surface. Its colors seem to spread out and at the same time be caught by the surrounding green.

The longer you look at the work, the more relationships emerge between the small center and its generous surroundings.

Material and construction

The work is based on a wooden panel with two framing levels. An outer frame defines the boundary of the picture, while an inner frame contains the section of the painter’s palette.

The area in between was covered with jute and fixed to the wooden panel under high pressure. This creates a taut surface that directs the gaze toward the central found object and intensifies its impact.

The green as pictorial space

The luminous green area evokes plants, growth and open landscapes. It creates a calm pictorial space in which the intense center can unfold.

This creates a tension between concentration and expansiveness, between the small section and the surrounding surface. The green thus becomes not just a background, but an essential part of the work.

Original painting by Mark Hellbusch

“Small find in the green” is a unique piece from 2026, created at Atelier Hellbusch in Wiesbaden. The work belongs to the series “The Palette”, in which fragments of the painting process are further developed into independent images.