Monday, June 15, 2015

Artists Tell Their Story


Meadow VI, View of the Palisades on the Hudson River from Wave Hill, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 40"

Visual artists often find it so hard to write about their work. In my class Paint and Post at tasoc.org it is so gratifying to see my students find their voice with words as well as with paint. Even realistic art  can be so much more meaningful for viewers when they read the story behind the artwork. I wrote the following about the first in a series of meadow paintings:

Maud has several friends who are beekeepers, gardeners and farmers, and who have made her aware of the disappearance of meadows with their butterflies and bees. 
In September, 2013, while on daily walks in her neighborhood, she was wondering what new painting project to pursue. Over time, she noticed how a neighbor’s front and side yard became overgrown with various plants. After a few weeks, wildflowers began to appear, which in turn attracted butterflies and songbirds.
This became the inspiration for Maud’s first meadow painting that developed into an ongoing series. 

Those who view these paintings are delighted. One person said “It makes me feel so happy”. Another comment was “I remember my grandparents’ farm ... I can hear the insects, birdsong and smell the grasses and flowers.”

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