I've regained my focus after a fall of mostly thinking and writing about art without actually completing any new work for my Reading a Garden series. Why this sudden change? I'm having a solo show of this series at the Leyton Gallery of Fine Art at the end of May, 2010. Deadlines are a great thing!I need 20 paintings for the show in May. I have 14 almost completed. My problem is that the wildflower meadow, an important part of my experiences at Birr Castle Demesne, is now unrepresented in the series. Both wildflower meadow paintings from the garden series have sold.
The wildflower meadow was my personal link with the Demesne. It was the kind of garden I understood. After I came back from Ireland, I photographed the meadow around my summer house as a point of comparison (see previous post). I've decided to replace the
two meadow paintings with a new one created with reference material from my own wildflower meadow. This new piece will be a bridge from here to Ireland, from my earlier life to my stay at the Demesne. I understand meadows; they are not foreign, structured or inaccessible. Wildflowers are much the same everywhere.
Certainly meadows are not exactly new content for painters. It is the predictability of the imagery that I am attracted to. The first reproduction I ever purchased was Durer's Tall Grasses. The close up view was one I understood and was attracted to. I like the focused examination of things most people ignore. There is no doubt that this little work had a big impact on my later development as an artist.How have other artists interpreted the meadow?
Meadow, oil on canvas, 74 x 80 in. Michael Brophy, 2007G. Gibson Gallery
Summer Meadow, oil on canvas, 100 x 130 cm. Beth WintgensCarina Haslan Fine Art
Meadow, 2006, oil and gessoJo Miller
Meadow, 2008, 24 x 2o in. oil on canvasKarina Drogowska
Meadow Walk, 11 x 14,Donna Day Westerman
One subject, many interpretations.
What are your preferences?
9 comments:
I love your paintings of the meadow Margaret, and Joe Miller's is right up my alley. I enjoyed seeing all the interpretations here. Wishing you great enjoyment of your next paintings for your up coming show.
What a great problem to have. You have to paint two more new canvases for the show because two canvasses sold. Congrats! I look forward to seeing your new interpretations of meadows. Thanks for sharing all these other interpretations. One of my favorite meadow paintings is "Christine's World" by Andrew Wyeth.
-Don
Hi Margaret - Congratulations on your upcoming solo exhibition!! Deadlines ... they're a great motivator. I'm certain you'll complete all 20 paintings and they'll be wonderful. The meadow paintings you posted are diverse and I like the Westerman one best. She uses the symbols of the meadow rather than a literal interpretation of one. Masterful! Have fun painting :)
Andrew Wyeth's meadow immediately comes to mind. There are some beautiful meadows in this post Margaret. I love your top one in particular. Such a gorgeous blue. Michael Brophy's meadow is very striking.
How could I have forgotten Wyeth's Christine's World? Duh! It would be perfect for this post. There are other wonderful meadow paintings created by the Impressionists, but I searched for ones by lesser known artists. Thanks for the your responses and observations.
Greetings Margaret,
First things first, a big congratulations on your solo show and I wish I could attend because your meadow paintings truly remind me of Dürer's watercolour study that bewitched me when I was growing up, all the way into my early twenties.
Later I had a great fascination for Andrew Wyeth, but as life would have it, I turned towards photography and only recently turned to painting.
I still am amazed at anyone being able to paint with such detail and stylized reality as you do.
Warmest regards,
Egmont
Such a difficult subject but you have painted it with lot of details. Well done!
Color Pencil Drawing-Rajasthani Painting
Your work is stunning, it is making me long for spring!
Margaret, your meadows are lovely. Congratulations on your upcoming show! Meadows gave me a spiritual connection to nature when I was a young girl, and that is something that has always stayed with me. Thank you for this post.
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