Falaise #2 (cliff face) | Nat Ward
In Falaise #2, the focus shifts to the sheer, monumental presence of the cliff face—a landscape defined not by movement, but by immense stillness and the slow accumulation of time. The title, French for 'cliff,' points to a study of geology as architecture, where the verticality of the stone creates a conversation between light, shadow, and deep history.Working with oil and cold wax on board allows me to mimic the very textures of the rock itself. Through a process of building, incising, and scraping, the surface of the painting becomes a physical record of the stone it depicts. The wax creates a low-sheen, geological depth, holding muted mineral tones and the sharp, sudden light that catches on an edge of rock. This work is a meditation on the unyielding parts of our world—the ancient surfaces that stand as silent witnesses to the elements, enduring through weight and silence.
60cm x 42cm Oil and wax on board
Artist Note
Let your eye move vertically across the surface. This work is intended to be felt as much as seen—notice the physical depth of the wax and the way it captures the rugged, stoic nature of the cliff face. Stay with the shadows to find the subtle shifts in tone that define the stone’s history.