Climbing the Mountain 36" x 48"

See more paintings from The Colors of Joy collection.

James Nowak’s Climbing the Mountain, part of The Colors of Joy Collection, is an expressive abstraction that fuses physical struggle with emotional transcendence. Through vibrant brushwork and layered chromatic intensity, Nowak portrays ascent not as a literal act but as a metaphor for perseverance, resilience, and the exhilaration of reaching new heights. The work contributes to the collection’s broader vision of joy—not as mere pleasure but as a hard-won, transformative experience.

The composition bursts with saturated reds, purples, blues, yellows, and oranges, layered in dynamic interplay across the canvas. Unlike the open expanses of Flight of Birds, Climbing the Mountain has a denser, more compacted arrangement, emphasizing effort and accumulation.

• Color Palette: The reds and oranges suggest passion, determination, and exertion, while cooler tones of blue and turquoise balance the heat, offering breath and skyward space. Purples, created where red and blue overlap, embody transitional energy—moments of struggle blending into renewal. Yellow punctuations highlight the sense of triumph, light breaking through challenge.
• Brushwork: Nowak’s strokes are vigorous, crossing and layering in multiple directions, evoking both obstacles and forward momentum. The diagonal thrust of many strokes reinforces the sensation of upward struggle, as though the painting itself is in motion.
• Spatial Dynamics: The density of overlapping gestures conveys resistance—each mark an obstacle, yet also a step upward. At the same time, the interplay of colors creates passages of openness, moments of reprieve that balance the intensity of ascent.

The title Climbing the Mountain situates the work firmly in the realm of metaphor. Mountains symbolize both challenge and transcendence, standing as obstacles to be conquered and vantage points offering new perspective. In this painting, the layering of colors becomes the mountain itself: obstacles are transformed into the very substance of progress.

The composition suggests that joy is not found in ease but in the struggle itself. The vivid palette emphasizes joy as a hard-earned state, born from perseverance. The presence of luminous yellows amidst denser reds and purples underscores this theme: light emerges from challenge, triumph shines brightest against resistance.

Within the collection, Climbing the Mountain provides a narrative of struggle and transformation. While Explosion of Color celebrates exuberance and Flight of Birds embodies freedom, Climbing the Mountain reminds viewers that joy is also the product of persistence and effort. It brings gravity and determination to the collection, balancing its lighter, more celebratory works with a meditation on the work required to attain fulfillment.

From a critical perspective, Climbing the Mountain demonstrates Nowak’s capacity to merge abstraction with narrative metaphor. Some might argue that its density risks overwhelming the viewer, but this density mirrors the theme of struggle—it is meant to be felt rather than neatly resolved. The painting succeeds in creating an embodied experience, where the viewer not only sees but senses the act of climbing through layers of color and gesture.

Climbing the Mountain is a vibrant abstraction that transforms struggle into a vision of triumph. James Nowak’s brushwork and palette convey both the difficulty and exhilaration of ascent, offering viewers a meditation on perseverance and the joy that emerges from overcoming obstacles. As part of The Colors of Joy Collection, it expands the emotional range of the series, affirming that joy is not simply given but achieved through resilience and striving.