SOLD

Click here for a larger image.

"Here we see, set against a simple gray wall and tabletop, the inky darkness of a lavishly rumpled cloth. The cloth draws our attention to the selected few, beautifully rendered objects that are the subject of this painting. The Greek vase stands proudly as the center of attention—the detailed, multi-colored glaze on its surface can't help but be noticed. Notice how the throat, handle, spout, and base of this vase closely resemble the color of the cloth and also how the curving detail of the vase's throat echo the curving folds of the cloth. This repeated shape draws our focus from one to the other, causing us to notice how like a fold of fabric a curve in pottery can look; they both catch the light in a similar manner. But then notice the weathered pattern on the log—it, too, has a random variation of color that resembles the pattern of the draped cloth, but in a rough, matte finish rather than the beautiful sheen of the cloth. This repetition of the same kind of shape—a pattern repeated across variations of color and texture—gives the composition a visual unity that ties this image into a coherent whole.

"From one object to the next, our focus is drawn to the contrasts and similarities between each element: from the curving neck of the vase, to the folds of the fabric; from the folds of the fabric, to the weathered pattern of the log's bark. From the color of the cloth, to the top of the vase, to the smooth gray stone in the foreground, to the warm gray hue of the back wall, to the weathered bark of the log. But this bark isn't merely gray—in contrast to the other grayish hues in this painting, this log also has many touches of a warm tan hue, much like the table's surface. Once our eyes notice the tan hues around the cut surfaces of the log, our attention is then drawn to the like colors—the golden agate in the foreground, the glowing yellow crystal next to the vase, and back to the lovely warm colors of the body of the vase.

"Each object in this painting is realistically and beautifully rendered. Each is carefully chosen as an integral part of the composition, drawing our attention to the details that the artist wishes to reveal to us. The result has a quiet power to it. It has a dramatic and visually striking initial composition that draws us in, but as we spend time observing the painting, it slowly reveals a wealth of subtle visual contrasts. Each object is painted to emphasize its sensuous texture and beautiful color. Through her painting, the artist is telling us not only what she sees as beautiful in the world, but how, why, and in what way those things are beautiful. The rich lushness of velvet, the dry texture of an aged log, the cold smoothness of an agate, the slightly chalky texture of fluorite, and the silken glaze of pottery are as much a delight to our eyes as they would be to our hands. Such a painting is a daily reminder to notice these little details in the world and to fully enjoy them for the beauty and sensual pleasure they offer."

—Sherri Tracinski, The Intellectual Activist, Vol. 19, No. 4