Maeve's Early Work

Onwards and Upwards

2007-10-17T00:19:00.000-04:00

The tension and imbalance in this piece is exaggerated to an extent that it moves beyond disturbing to almost cartoonishly dynamic. Despite the subject's total lack of mobility, he appears to be almost flying across the frame. This is, of course, an allusion to the speed of life, in this case both the all-too-rapid growth of an infant and the speed at which the world undoubtedly appears to the infant to be coming at him.

Taken 2007, June 1, 5:30:41 pm

Still Life: Picnic

2007-09-18T21:00:00.000-04:00

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

2007-09-10T14:13:00.000-04:00

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

Analog

2007-08-16T17:40:00.000-04:00

The unusual but dynamic and involving composition of this piece reflects its theme of adventure. The viewer's eye is drawn gradually across each of three facets of this theme in turn: the epic and richly imagined adventures that are the domain of fiction and culture, the everyday but nonetheless vital domestic adventure of life and survival, and the ultimate adventure of exploration of the unknown, drawing us towards a horizon of beauty and mystery. The key to this piece is its seamlessness, how these themes are presented clearly but almost subliminally in what appears at first glance to be a straightforward still-life diorama.

Taken 2007, May 15, 6:25:48 pm

Baby, Sleeping

2007-08-12T16:52:00.000-04:00

The subject of this piece, a peacefully sleeping infant enveloped in the warm security of a tightly-wrapped blanked, is subtly at odds with the composition and lighting, every aspect of which -- from the tension and imbalance of the tilted composition to the cold, overexposed lighting -- plays against the peacefulness and security which form the viewer's first impression. Such justapositions are a device used commonly in Maeve's photography, which often feature an apparently random mismatch between subject and technique, the meaning of which only becomes apparent on further reflection.

Taken 2007 May 15, 6:23:57 pm

Picture of Baby

2007-07-27T14:29:00.000-04:00

By concentrating on the negative space framed by Maeve's new brother and an anonymous parent focussing quite tightly on the baby, as he reaches back tentatively, Maeve examines the relationship of a family with a new member, capturing a fleeting glimpse of fascination, caring, dependence, and the tendency for the new relationship to cast life as it had been into the background, if only temporarily.

Taken 2007, May 14, 5:40:44 pm

Rush Hour

2007-07-23T15:28:00.000-04:00

The confluence of ice cream and a Spring day engenders both relaxation and earnest action. In this straightforward work, Maeve paints a portrait of a slice of classic Americana updated to a modern setting, in which frenetic activity is not at odds with simple pleasures.

Taken 2007, May 13, 6:35:21 pm

Green Grass

2007-07-19T17:32:00.000-04:00

This photograph, a take-no-prisoners application of texture as subject, is mesmerizing and evocative as forms and patterns slip in and out of visibility, with depth and scale infinitely elusive. At the same time, however, it pokes fun at the themes of "green" and the "environmental movement" by taking them literally and going entirely over-the-top, while simultaneously suggesting that the "green" movement is just as thematically slippery, as arguments and motives of elusive scale and depth deny attempts to characterize the meaning of the environmental crisis as a whole.

Taken 2007, May 13, 6:29:01 pm

Little House

2007-07-10T20:46:00.000-04:00

The well house in this photograph -- perhaps the guardian not of a well but of a rabbit hole -- takes on an alternate life as the miniature centerpiece to a Lewis Carroll-esque scene of idyllic simplicity and absurdist scale. Only the picnic tables disturb the carefully crafted illusion, a reminder that despite the apparent refinement of the work, Maeve's journey as an artist has not yet reached its pinnacle.

Taken 2007, May 13, 6:26:25 pm

Picture of Apples

2007-06-27T14:38:00.001-04:00

This reflection on art uses a skewed perspective, uncomfortable, disjoint composition, and featureless background to highlight the serene richness of the classical art at its focus. In addition, the strangely still, silent feel of the piece as a whole is a play on the genre of its subject, a "still life". There is no message here, no theme, leaving the viewer to contemplate the beauty of the painting itself, and how that beauty either impacts our lives or exists in isolation from them.

The artist wishes to thank the North Carolina Museum of Art for generously allowing this photograph to be taken.

Taken 2007, May 13, 11:46:06 am

Scene of Another Accident

2007-06-15T15:25:00.000-04:00

The theme of silent violence involving fictional objects factors prominently into Maeve's early work. The simplicity of the composition and playfulness of the subject belies the seriousness of the allusion, as the pieces clearly refer to the overwhelming fear of tragedy which so often oppresses modern society. Subtle inclusion of the photographer herself in many of the pieces suggests both that the focus on tragedy is the choice of the observer, and that the observer is inevitably a part of the same world in which the violence takes place, putting responsibility for dealing with such problems on each individual's own shoulders.

Taken 2007, May 12, 6:28:11 pm

Mommy, Maeve, Mirror

2007-06-12T11:22:00.000-04:00

This self-portrait offers a rare glimpse into the colours and shapes that have influenced Maeve's work and visual style. Notice, however, that the photograph itself has prevented us from seeing the photographer, touching on the theme of art vs. artist, and reminding us that in fact one doesn't need to understand the latter to appreciate the former. This is fortunate, as few indeed understand Maeve.

Taken 2007, May 11, 4:33:27 pm

Baby

2007-06-07T17:57:00.000-04:00

At only nine days old, Maeve's little brother is still a little on the blurry side. Whether this lack of sharpness represents the as-yet unshaped potential of a newborn, or instead the motion blur we are seeing suggests the rapid changes in life -- both her brother's and Maeve's own -- is left to the viewer's interpretation.

Taken 2007, 08 May, 5:58:29 pm

Pooh, Arm

2007-06-04T16:51:00.000-04:00

By using Winnie the Pooh, seated in a chair, as the subject of this striking and dynamic portrait, Maeve once again gives life to a character which has been interpreted many times over the past century, being made as real as the subject of any other portrait, time and time again. This reflects and reaffirms the theme of Milne's original work, while at the same time illustrating just how ingrained Pooh has become in our cultural consciousness: from barely more than an arm, we are able to recognize his familiar form immediately.

Taken 2007, May 7, 11:30:34 am

Light and Fan

2007-06-01T00:40:00.000-04:00

Simple, clean, and yet profoundly vertigo-inducing; radial symmetry may never be the same.

Taken 2007, May 7, 11:30:17 am

Yard Work

2007-05-31T17:41:00.000-04:00

This piece attempts to capture the essence of Spring: blue skies, the reemergence of green from the dormant forest, and other people doing yard work -- in this case, Daddy -- while one relaxes in the shade of the porch and takes pictures.

Taken 2007, April 21, 5:09:51 pm

Field of Balls

2007-05-29T22:16:00.000-04:00

By way of a bona fide bounty of beach balls, a straighforward scene is transformed to a tableau of fantastic colour and shape.

Taken 2007, April 20, 11:42:25 am

Three Cars

2007-05-27T14:35:00.000-04:00

The overexposed subjects in this photo set against a rich but grounded texture of stained wood elevate the already brightly-coloured plastic toys to the realm of animation, reflecting their origins and their capacity as vehicles both of and from the imaginary.

Taken 2007, April 19, 10:45:33 am

Meeting of the Feet

2007-05-26T00:04:00.000-04:00

This piece tells a story. Whether the aggressive stance and dynamic but balanced composition tells of a confrontation or the soft textures and straightforward angles suggest an embrace is a question left to the reader, but one thing is certain: feet are an engaging and flexible subject around which much of Maeve's interest revolves.

Taken 2007, April 16, 6:59:12 pm

Jealousy

2007-05-23T14:36:00.000-04:00

Maeve's equipment of choice is a Nikon Coolpix L11, replacing her first camera, a ancient film-based Olympus. The Nikon serves her purposes significantly better, especially as the Olympus never had any film (although it did make a cool film-advance sound). Nevertheless, the Nikon -- despite a striking resemblance -- is technologically inferior to Mommy and Daddy's Canon SD-800 (not to mention the 20Ds). Maeve never hints at being bothered by the difference, but the envy she hides is obvious in this deeply-felt piece, in which a slight overexposure gives the Canon an almost glowing aspect.

Taken 2007, April 16, 6:58:39 pm

Returning to the Scene of the Accident

2007-05-21T18:03:00.000-04:00

This companion piece to "Scene of the Accident", taken only a few days later, uses a similar composition with new elements resembling a classic murder-mystery set piece to continue the theme and heighten the suspense -- or, perhaps, the satire.

Taken 2007, April 15, 5:48:36 pm

Traveling

2007-05-21T15:22:00.000-04:00

When traveling by car, the feet become redundant. This is generally not considered one of Maeve's strongest works, but nonetheless does demonstrate the strength of her spirit of experimentation this early in her career.

Taken 2007, April 14, 8:17:08 pm

Fuzz and Fountain

2007-05-20T17:08:00.000-04:00

Some interpret this piece as a comment on the role of authority in private enterprise, but most agree that the intention is a visual joke. The interplay of simple, straightforward textures -- the clean straight lines of the outdoor shopping center, the calm reflections, the random distribution of coins, and the corrosion of the fountain surface itself -- combine to form almost the feel of a hand-drawn cartoon.

Take 2007, April 14, 7:24:55 pm

Elephant and Balls

2007-05-18T15:06:00.000-04:00

This companion piece to "Brown Elephant" illustrates, through a simple change in angle, the joy and, ultimately, life that may underly apparent chaos. The theme of "Brown Elephant", fiction, leads inexorably to the theme of "Elephant and Balls", namely the transformative power of perspective.

Taken: 2007, April 13, 6:04:48 pm

Brown Elephant

2007-05-18T14:57:00.000-04:00

A constant point amidst a world of chaos, everything in this piece -- composition, cluttered foreground, depth of field, and even the innovative motion blur -- points to the solidity and permanence of a plastic toy elephant, speaking powerfully to the role of fiction in a confusing and confused world.

Taken 2007, April 13, 6:02:09 pm

Scene of the Accident

2007-05-16T12:23:00.000-04:00

This exercise in interpretive storytelling playfully asks the viewer to provide their own version of what happened here. The subtle presence of the photographer herself at the edge of the composition serves as both a wink to the audience and a statement that the artist and the viewer are an inherent part of the art itself.

Taken 2007, April 13, 10:10:59 am

Work vs. Play

2007-05-15T14:52:00.000-04:00

The uncomfortably balanced composition of this piece plays with the common notion of leisure versus responsibility. The simple archetypical subjects suggest that the cliche is oversimplified, but at the same time the piece shows a certain tension, implying the conflict does indeed have a basis in reality.

Taken 2007, April 13, 10:06:27 am

Wood On Wood

2007-05-14T21:35:00.000-04:00

This serene study in contrasts depicts artificial smoothness set over organic texture, artificial structure carved from natural material.

Taken 2007, 8 April, 9:13:14 am

Bunny Cake

2007-05-14T09:46:00.000-04:00

While baking with Mommy, Maeve took a break to capture this moment in the creation of an annual icon. This photojournalism style was a departure from Maeve's earlier efforts in still life.

Taken 2007, April 7, 3:42:50 pm

Still Life: Apple

2007-05-13T16:07:00.000-04:00

Here we see the "favourite objects" theme done in the style of a classical still life.

Taken 2007, April 7, 3:37:20 pm

Cars Eyes

2007-05-13T16:02:00.000-04:00

Not all of Maeve's photography is meant to communicate deep messages; much of her motivation for making art is simply the creation of beautiful images. This often takes the form of capturing snapshots of objects with particular meaning to her; here we see her "cars [with] eyes", their unbalanced diagonal composition lending them a dynamic feel of impending movement.

Taken 2007, April 7, 3:31:42 pm

Mommy's Shoes

2007-05-13T15:59:00.000-04:00

Maeve's take on the theme of feet goes beyond the self-portrait to encompass shoes and others' feet -- here, those of her mother Emily. The encroachment of the foot on the corner of the frame subtly grounds this otherwise personal image, and some have suggested that in this particular image, the foot moving towards the shoes symbolizes Maeve's own obsession with the putting on of shoes (or, as she endearlingly labels them, "shva!").

Taken 2007, April 7, 3:31:15 pm

Walking Feet

2007-05-13T15:57:00.000-04:00

Here we see the first instance of a favourite theme: feet. The symbolism of feet, the means of movement and hence change, are obvious but run deep and broad through Maeve's work.

Taken 2007, April 7, 10:42:16 am

Portrait of the Artist As A Young Woman

2007-05-13T15:15:00.000-04:00

Maeve's earliest work is characterized by an investigation of the difference between the two sides of the camera. One finds this theme recurring frequently during this period.

Taken 2007, April 7, 10:39:48 am