Storm Break

Artist: Lucy MacQueen
Medium: Acrylic and gold leaf on Ampersand cradled panel
Dimension: 40 x 30 x 2 in
 
Storm Break captures the charged stillness that arrives just as a storm begins to lift. Dark, weighty skies press down on the landscape, their movement softened by veils of rain and atmosphere, while a river of gold leaf cuts through the composition like a clearing breath of light.
 
The contrast between brooding charcoal tones and luminous metallic gold creates a palpable sense of tension and release. Rather than depicting the storm itself, the work dwells in the moment after—when light begins to reemerge and the land exhales. Layered brushwork and subtle texture lend depth and motion, guiding the viewer’s eye through the shifting terrain.
As with much of the artist’s work, the gold leaf is not static. It responds to ambient light, warming and glowing as conditions change, reinforcing the emotional arc from darkness toward clarity.
 
Why collectors are drawn to Storm Break:
Dramatic yet restrained composition with strong emotional presence
Gold leaf creates a striking focal point and evolving surface
Ideal scale for statement walls, offices, or contemplative spaces
Balances abstraction with a powerful sense of landscape
Signed original artwork; no prints or reproductions
 
Storm Break is a meditation on resilience and renewal—an image of light returning, quietly but unmistakably.