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Far Off Drums, 1960

Abstract painting by Jock Macdonald with large shapes with feathered edges, partially filled in with black, overlapping other shapes in light peach on a white background.

Jock Macdonald, Far Off Drums, 1960, oil and Lucite 44 on canvas, 91.3 x 106.6 cm, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa.

In Far Off Drums, an exquisite painting that is both vital and harmonious, Macdonald resolved the crucial issue of space and the relation between figure and ground. The elements here are fluid, and there is a finely balanced tension between line and the thinly painted surface.


Macdonald taught that “non-objective masterpieces are created intuitively—are alive with spiritual rhythm and organic with the cosmic order which rules the universe.” His final works transcend the material world and find an expression of the spiritual beyond.

Gallery

Painting by Jock Macdonald of snow blanketing trees and branches, forming soft hills and curves with hooked tips.

In the White Forest, 1932

Painting by Jock Macdonald depicting an abstracted, close-up view of a flower with bright petals in yellow, orange, white, pink, green, and blue.

Formative Colour Activity, 1934

Painting by Jock Macdonald of several glowing orbs floating in space. A 3D black orb near the bottom, partially blocking a yellow circle of light, has red veins branching across its surface.

Departing Day, 1936 (dated 1935)

Colourful abstract painting by Jock Macdonald of a nearly symmetrical arrangement of layered geometric shapes. Its central motif is a tall triangle surrounded by concentric circles.

Fall (Modality 16), 1937

Simple pencil sketches by Jock Macdonald showing sequences of geometric shapes (labelled A, B, C as they grow in size or complexity) alongside the captions "Simple relationships of lives" and "Simple relationships of area." Below that are sketches of leaves, insects, flowers, and a human finger.

“Art in Relation to Nature,” February 1940

Watercolour painting by Jock Macdonald depicting a swirling mass of abstract shapes, squiggly lines, fish, and animals, filled in with colourful washes.

Russian Fantasy, 1946

Abstract painting by Jock Macdonald with a palette of hot pink, yellow, and blue. Bursts and squiggles of abstracted drawing in rich black ink are laid over the colours and bleed into the paper.

Scent of a Summer Garden, 1952

Abstract painting by Jock Macdonald consisting of an irregular black circular motif, suggestive of bird forms, on a two-tone orange ground.

Black Evolving Forms, 1953

Abstract painting by Jock Macdonald with large areas of blue and black punctuated by smaller areas of red, yellow, and light blue.

Legend of the Orient, 1958

Abstract painting by Jock Macdonald of merging shapes of teal, yellow, brown, and gold, in parts resembling a melting sunflower or microscopic specimens from nature.

Nature Evolving, 1960

Abstract painting by Jock Macdonald with large shapes with feathered edges, partially filled in with black, overlapping other shapes in light peach on a white background.

Far Off Drums, 1960

Painting by Jock Macdonald of snow blanketing trees and branches, forming soft hills and curves with hooked tips.

In the White Forest, 1932

Painting by Jock Macdonald depicting an abstracted, close-up view of a flower with bright petals in yellow, orange, white, pink, green, and blue.

Formative Colour Activity, 1934

Painting by Jock Macdonald of several glowing orbs floating in space. A 3D black orb near the bottom, partially blocking a yellow circle of light, has red veins branching across its surface.

Departing Day, 1936 (dated 1935)

Colourful abstract painting by Jock Macdonald of a nearly symmetrical arrangement of layered geometric shapes. Its central motif is a tall triangle surrounded by concentric circles.

Fall (Modality 16), 1937

Simple pencil sketches by Jock Macdonald showing sequences of geometric shapes (labelled A, B, C as they grow in size or complexity) alongside the captions "Simple relationships of lives" and "Simple relationships of area." Below that are sketches of leaves, insects, flowers, and a human finger.

“Art in Relation to Nature,” February 1940

Watercolour painting by Jock Macdonald depicting a swirling mass of abstract shapes, squiggly lines, fish, and animals, filled in with colourful washes.

Russian Fantasy, 1946

Abstract painting by Jock Macdonald with a palette of hot pink, yellow, and blue. Bursts and squiggles of abstracted drawing in rich black ink are laid over the colours and bleed into the paper.

Scent of a Summer Garden, 1952

Abstract painting by Jock Macdonald consisting of an irregular black circular motif, suggestive of bird forms, on a two-tone orange ground.

Black Evolving Forms, 1953

Abstract painting by Jock Macdonald with large areas of blue and black punctuated by smaller areas of red, yellow, and light blue.

Legend of the Orient, 1958

Abstract painting by Jock Macdonald of merging shapes of teal, yellow, brown, and gold, in parts resembling a melting sunflower or microscopic specimens from nature.

Nature Evolving, 1960

Abstract painting by Jock Macdonald with large shapes with feathered edges, partially filled in with black, overlapping other shapes in light peach on a white background.

Far Off Drums, 1960

Far Off Drums - Art Canada