Silent Stones II

Silent Stones II is an intimate, atmospheric work that explores the physical and emotional character of landscape through material itself.

Newman builds the surface using earth pigment, silver leaf and iron oxide, allowing the materials to suggest stone, soil, mineral deposits and weathered ground. Areas of ochre, grey and muted metallic tones settle into horizontal bands, creating the impression of geological layers formed over time.

Although the work evokes landscape, it is not a description of a particular view. Instead, Newman distils the experience of being within the land: its weight, depth, silence and changing surface. The silver leaf introduces flashes of reflected light against the more earthy pigments, while the iron oxide brings a naturally weathered quality. The work is closely related to its companion, Silent Stones I, yet has its own rhythm and balance.

The work measures 50 × 50 cm and is presented framed and ready to hang. At this scale it has a particularly concentrated quality. Rather than presenting an expansive landscape, it draws the viewer closer to the surface, encouraging attention to texture, layering and the quiet transitions between one material and another.