'AS FOR ME - I PREFER WITCHES' - Oil on Canvas

In Michael Prettyman's evocative artwork "As For Me, I Prefer Witches," he employs a 30' x 36' canvas to encapsulate an enigmatic and almost otherworldly scene, steeped in classical motifs while also offering contemporary nuances.

The setting is nighttime, casting a majority of the scene in moody and shadowy tones. This choice of a nocturnal backdrop provides a rich contrast for the elements within and accentuates the mysterious ambience of the piece. A small brush field stretches across the canvas, offering a sense of space and solitude. It is punctuated by three pronounced trees, possibly pine, with their distinctive silhouettes standing tall and formidable against the dark sky, evoking the principles of verticality and emphasis.

Adding to the drama is a fog, colored in a haunting greenish-black hue, that envelops the landscape. The fog, with its ethereal quality, serves as an element of transition, blurring the boundaries between the tangible and the supernatural.

From the left top corner, there emanates a luminous glow, suggesting the presence of the moon, though it remains tantalizingly out of view. This light source introduces an element of chiaroscuro to the piece, playing with light and shadow to generate depth and mood. The moonlight, soft yet potent, becomes an anchor of brightness in the otherwise shadow-dominated canvas.

However, what truly captivates the viewer's gaze is the deep, dark pink circle that seems to encircle the upper branches of the central tree, creating a halo that reaches out into the brilliance of the moonlight. This unusual and almost surrealistic choice of color in a predominantly dark environment introduces an element of contrast, surprise, and focus. It hints at something mystical, perhaps alluding to the title's mention of witches, suggesting energies, rituals, or a portal to another realm.

In "As For Me, I Prefer Witches," Prettyman masterfully blends the classical principles of composition, balance, and emphasis with a thematic depth that invites viewers to delve into the mysteries of nature and the unknown.