Charles Bradley's Fine Art <meta name="description" content="A complete collection of Charles Bradley's original Abstract and Geometric Gouache Paintings and Silkscreen Prints with Spiritual and Astronomical Themes from 1973 to 2015">
Behind the Scenes



There were several titles I was thinking about for this painting. The first was to have been, simply: "Octahedron" since it accurately displayed some non-customary facing chosen for a three-dimensional, eight faced object. Had it been a two-dimensional representation, I would have called it "Octagon," which I at first incorrectly considered! But there was more going on here than the depiction of the accurate and mathematically "pleasing" connection of points to form this "wonder" of nature. There was the center area. What was going on there? In it, as often done, I broke the rules of symmetry and randomly placed three arcs, each of which helped to create more of a feeling of depth "over" the universe behind them. They also break the rules for perspective, for had they been precisely drawn to reflect a proper curvature for ONE sphere (not necessarily limited to the "sky" sphere), then the arcs would have proper curvature relative to their latitude and longitude "around" the sky. I was not interested in being graphically exact with this "fabric" of banding over the sky. I was, on the other hand, trying only to achieve some hint of spherical perspective. This depth factor was accomplished "enough" to satisfy the greater meaning for "Depth" in general. The details for accuracy are important, but I think there is something to be said for discontinuity, choice and random "arrangement" in nature. -- especially as this relates to the artist's perception of it: A very profound subject which would take a very large book to discuss.

The color for the three "sky arcs" was intentional. I wanted them to "connect" in some way to the peripheral background: ie, around the octahedron. It may look only as if there are two hues (greens) in the peripheral background, but on close observation, you will see there are three. They are:

(1) Windsor Green - [on the right edge of the painting] - green with a hint of blue in it. (2) Permanent Green Deep - [on the left edge of the painting] - green with a hint of yellow in it. and (3) Sap green - [on the top and bottom edge of the painting] - the other green that is more earthy and warmer.

It almost seems as if we are looking into a magnifying glass as we gaze through the arcs at the celestial object floating amongst the stars. The peripheral foreground greens are reduced and simplified to what appear to be three thick hairs under high magnification across the sky.

"Behind the Scenes" was the title I went with because it pointed more to the "What" of what might be going on behind what we see visually either in the cosmos or in matters relating to what we attempt to know mentally about anything. There is a whole "universe" of activity with reasons pointing to causes -- which over the course of infinite moments -- result in further "universes" of outcomes.

The symmetry found in the octahedron represents the order or "laws" used by the Grand Master or Maker of "universes." Although infinitely complex and unknowable on an intellectual level, this scene represents a window to the known AND unknown -- depending on how one views the scene. One view isn't any more negative or positive or "right" than the other. Both are spiritually the same point of view to the same mystery. The crescent moon in this painting simply represents something we see, know and yes, can touch. Everything thing else is simply everything else in this colorful design.

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