Still Life: Picnic

This minimalist still life, while appearing simplistic, follows the rules of poetry to evoke a rich set of emotions: using an absolute economy of elements, each with a strong meaning and associated set of memories and emotions for each observer, the piece constructs a portrait of a scene composed entirely from the viewer's own experience. Car keys evoke travel, green grass suggests a cool Spring day, a bag and bottle of water bring to mind a rustic but rich meal, and the appearance of a sneaker in the corner suggests comfortable companionship.

Taken 2007, May 19, 12:42:14 pm

Outsider Art

While the perspective of this scene of sand-sculpting and splatter-painting from the shadows on the periphery conveys an initial impression of barely-contained chaos and noise, the viewer quickly realizes that it is in fact a loving depiction of the joy of creation and the creative process, and how that enthusiasm infects both the artist and the observer and can, in fact, spur the observer to create themselves -- whether that be the children innocently playing in imitation of the sculptor on stage, the parents creating photographs of those children at play, or Maeve herself contemplating the scene as a whole.

Taken 2007, May 19, 12:41:48 pm