Since I first wrote about painter David H. Cunningham back in 2007, his web presence has been expanded and improved, and his work has continued to evolve, particularly into a new series involving arrangements of stones.

My initial impression of his work, however, remains unchanged. Though you may look at reproductions of his paintings and think of them as illusionary realism to the point of being trompe l’oeil, I’ve never gotten the impression that he deliberately set out to paint with that intention.

Rather, the sharp realism feels like a natural outgrowth of intense faithful observation, an incisive investigation of the visual world.

Cunningham’s paintings of stones, in both complex and simple arrangements, become both intimate landscapes and marvels of irregular geometry.

In addition to presenting his work more effectively, Cunningham’s new website allows for a blog-like series of short articles, in which he offers interviews with other artists as well as his thoughts on various aspects of art and painting, including “Why paint stones?“.

You can also find blog-like entries, including sketches and works in progress, on Cunningham’s presence on Tumblr and backspaces.