The viewpoint of this mountainous landscape is from high above and far away, as if we’re standing atop another mountain. The atmospheric and aggressive grey clouds are as tangible as anything on land. Painted in deep greens, browns, and blues, Mountain Wood is richly wild. The mountain-forms lose detail as they stretch, ever tall, into the background. The nearest peak is dense and lush, with groves of evergreens visible on its surface. Setzer shows distance by abstracting the scene. First, she creates a boldly lined mountain in a patchwork of hues, then progresses into grey white simplified peaks filling the background. Fields of sunlight lead the eye from the middle foreground and upward to the right, scaling the terrain. Without roads or figures, a small red-roofed structure and the viewer’s vantage point are the only indicators that this wooded area is accessible to humans at all.

October, 2020