Length 64.1 cm x Height 50.2 cm
A non-representational painting in mostly dark tones. On the left half of the composition is a rough white sphere with black geometric shapes intruding on it; below the sphere in the lower left 1/4 of the composition are dark overlapping areas of pigment, with olive green and lighter grey areas of pigment in the lower right 1/4 of the composition. The upper half of the composition behind the sphere consists of mostly horizontal areas of colour in white, grey, black, blue and tan tones, with hints of warm red/orange in the upper left corner. There are finer, loose strokes of pigment over top of the larger blocks of colour. The artist's signature "Smith" is in white pigment in the lower right corner. The painting is housed in a contemporary plain white wood frame.
Gordon Appelbe Smith (1919-) is a painter, printmaker and great supporter of artistic programs for children. His non-objective, gestural manner of painting focuses on paint as a manipulative medium. Smith’s artistic philosophy is that his works should not be an illusion of an experience, but rather a re-creation of one. Nocturne, date unknown is a subtly coloured abstract expressionist work or art with a very lyrical, romantic quality to it.
