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"You can always tell a great deal about what interests and fascinates an artist by carefully observing his or her work. Linda Mann's work shows a deep interest in careful observation of the nature of things in this world—and an appreciation for their beauty. A quick overview of her works shows us that the objects she chooses to paint are quite beautiful and striking, things that have a unique nature to them, things that are enjoyable to view. But on closer inspection, by noticing what objects she pairs with others, and what aspects of each things she highlights, we can begin to get a deeper understand of what interests this artist.

"Linda Mann is interested in showing us the real nature of the things she shows, not in a photo-realistic way, but in a highly selective manner. The objects in her paintings are chosen to be set next to one another in a way that highlights and draws attention to their unique characteristics. We see fascinating contrasts of shapes, textures, colors, and materials. We see bright highlights of light and deep shadows.

"While this is true of all her paintings, each one has its own emphasis: an emphasis on color contrasts, for example, or on the contrast between light and shadow, or on a contrast of shapes. One of her newest paintings, Antique Suitcase and Vase, offers a wonderful feast of textures for our eyes.

"The centerpiece of this painting is the antique suitcase. Notice the ruggedly woven fabric that covers the case. Nearly the texture of burlap, the weave catches the light and our eyes delight in the play of colors in that weave—from rich sandy hues, to deeply aged tobacco colors, to touches of cool colors. Please make sure you click through on the close-ups offered below the large image to see the detail of the texture of this suitcase. Especially in the close-up, the texture of the case's fabric makes me want to run my fingernails across my computer screen, half expecting the same sound I used to make running my fingernails across my grandmother's suitcase when I was a kid—sort of a muffled scraping sound.

"But then notice how much this rough weave contrasts to the well-oiled leather trim and the aged and satiny texture of the brass hardware. The leather trim, over years of use, has taken on a well-oiled sheen that in places almost appears pale blue and glistening. Imagine the feeling of running your fingers across the case, feeling the threads of the weave pass under your fingers, followed by the slightly cool and buttery smoothness of the leather trim. These two materials are a striking texture contrast, but this is only the beginning. Notice the aged brass hinges and feet—oxidized from years of use and rubbed free of any sharp edges, these hinges have the satiny texture of well-worn brass, matte, soft, and smooth.

"In a similar hue but another texture is the brown paper package. The paper is porous and without any sheen, but unlike the suitcase, the texture of the surface is pressed and flat. And notice how this package is tied. It could have been tied with nearly anything. But it is tied in a pale tan-colored, extremely rough twine. The twine seems to fight being forced into a tight knot, and the cut ends fray apart and unwind. And all along the twine, little fly-away fibers catch the light. All of the details emphasis the rough, prickly stiffness of the fibers that make up the twine. The brightness of this twine catches our attention and draws our focus through the painting, while our eyes delight in comparing the texture of the twine to the fibers of the woven cloth on the case, and the threads of the stitching. We are also drawn to contrast the coarse-textured twine to the oiled smooth leather and soft brass.

"Contrasts of shape, color, and texture then carry our focus throughout the rest of the painting. One of the striking aspects of this painting is that the technical skill used to show us the roughest textures is matched by the artist's skill in portraying the smoothest, softest, and glassiest textures: the dense and lush deep blue velvet, the shimmering glass vase with highlights of blue, the porcelain-like ivory shell speckled with dark brown spots and cast with a cool blue sheen, the inky dark exterior of the glazed ceramic cup with its pale blue interior, the smooth surface of the warm-hued silver bowl with the rope-edge, and the collection of polished and satin stones ranging in hues from buff and tan to bluish-gray to dark charcoal gray.

"While we enjoy the subtle contrast of complementary colors—warm, golden browns against bluish and gray hues, and while we delight in contrasts of shapes and materials, it is the textures that are the main focus in this feast for the eyes.

"These fine details and contrasts of texture surround us in the world everyday, in the objects of our everyday lives. It is the invaluable skill of the still-life painter to highlight those contrasts, to heighten our awareness of them, and to show us all of the beauty the objects in this world have to offer."

—Sherri Tracinski, TIA Daily, March 3