In A Silent Room

Medium

Physical artwork created using acrylic and oil on canvas.

Context

This piece focuses on the quiet elegance of a piano and sheet music, captured in a romantic impressionistic style reminiscent of Bridgerton. The soft brushstrokes and warm tones create a sense of intimacy, drawing attention to the elegance of the objects themselves rather than any surrounding environment.
The scene feels like a moment frozen in time, where the piano and sheet music stand still, awaiting the music that could come to life at any moment. It's about the stillness and anticipation, the beauty in the simplicity of these elements, and the way they seem to hold a story all on their own.

grey brush stroke overlay white brush stroke overlay
An impressionist painting of an open piano, sheet music displayed on its music stand.

The Process

The process of creating this work involved carefully building layers with both acrylic and oil paints. Acrylics were used for their ability to dry quickly, allowing me to layer colors and build depth. Oil paints, on the other hand, added richness and fluidity, helping me to achieve the soft, dreamy texture that defines the piece.

Romantic Impressionism

This painting draws inspiration from the emotional intensity of Romantic Impressionism, a style that emerged in the late 1800s. J.M.W. Turner, the famous British painter known for his turbulent skies and dramatic seascapes, helped pave the way for this movement. Like Turner's work, this piece uses a dramatic red background to create atmosphere, while adopting the softer, looser brushwork that Impressionists later made famous. You can see this especially in how the sheet music is painted – not perfectly detailed, but captured in a way that gives you the feeling of aged paper and handwritten notes. The whole piece balances drama with intimacy, much like the artists of that era who wanted their work to be both emotionally powerful and personally touching.