tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post2992525719875754323..comments2023-12-02T03:36:14.917-05:00Comments on Tracy Helgeson Art: BoxesTracy Helgesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07510044613771862211noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-78007291651886450422007-01-30T08:01:00.000-05:002007-01-30T08:01:00.000-05:00Hi Susan, I know what you mean about still lifes h...Hi Susan, I know what you mean about still lifes having a message to impart-the thing is, I don't really have much to say, at least not consciously. When I try to do that it's lame and when I don't try then I feel lame.<br /><br />But I do feel more encouraged now that these boxes may have more going on than I thought at first. And that is the same process I went through when I began painting landscapes. <br /><br />Thanks!Tracy Helgesonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07510044613771862211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-91464014341850027792007-01-29T20:19:00.000-05:002007-01-29T20:19:00.000-05:00They are a natural evolution for you. I wonder wha...They are a natural evolution for you. I wonder what you'll end up doing with the toy soldiers --<br /><br />Still lifes can have a lot more going on than people think. The objects are sometimes chosen to represent a metaphor or to be a symbolic portrait. My husband, who reads voraciously, shared a tidbit with me about still lifes. Early paintings had to have a religious theme so the early still life painters had to incorporate symbols that were of a religious nature. In lieu of an artist statemnet, the artist would drovide a docent that could interpret the symbols in the painting for the viewers.Susan Constansehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12020412045368974973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-41864306076586983022007-01-29T19:18:00.000-05:002007-01-29T19:18:00.000-05:00James, thanks for the reassurance. And I agree wit...James, thanks for the reassurance. And I agree with you, the still life does get a bum rap by many, including me, despite the fact that I am drawn to them.<br /><br />Maybe it's because they are usually not as shocking or edgy or titillating as so much of the art we see these days. I don't know.Tracy Helgesonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07510044613771862211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-88069336816824211712007-01-29T18:39:00.000-05:002007-01-29T18:39:00.000-05:00Tracy, the box motif is working well for you.
Whe...Tracy, the box motif is working well for you. <br />When I read your post, my initial reaction was "ohh, a touch of Giorgio Morandi..." and then you mentioned his name - so there you go, you're on an interesting path! I agree, Morandi painted sublime pictures - a brilliant artist.<br />It's odd to me why so many people seem to have a negative reaction to the still life genre. A great still life can move the senses and evoke emotions to the same degree as any other genre - at least that has been my experience...<br />JamesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-1080843242081774692007-01-29T16:24:00.000-05:002007-01-29T16:24:00.000-05:00Hi Ed. Doug in all of his wisdom bought me a Moran...Hi Ed. Doug in all of his wisdom bought me a Morandi book when I began doing barns a few years ago. While I liked his work, I didn't really see why Doug thought my work had any connection to what he did, until fairly recently. I got it after I began to greatly simplify the forms and also paint the same images repetitively. And you are right, I do feel that the boxes are a natural (for me) extension of the barns.Tracy Helgesonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07510044613771862211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-29150796586050383752007-01-29T10:14:00.000-05:002007-01-29T10:14:00.000-05:00Morandi is an excellent reference for a still life...Morandi is an excellent reference for a still life painter. His body of work is a wonderful example of visual contemplation. Myself, I have always loved the still life. Cezanne would tell young artists that the subject was not as important as how they painted. He suggested that they repeatedly do paintings of their stove pipes. Ialso think that the boxes are a wonderful echo of your barns.Ed Maskevichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06505691052584290449noreply@blogger.com