Forest Silence Posted on 12/27/2019 5:58:12 AM PST by NOBO2012
There was a brief discussion yesterday about this paining by John F. Carlson (1874-1945) that pbird posted with the comment “not great, but nice” adding that “oddly, it feels a little off kilter to me.”
Forest Silence
Although I quite like it, it does seem “a bit off kilter.” There is something not quite right and as I am a sometime painter, and ostensibly a left-brained one at that, my brain immediately wants to solve the “problem.” For me painting requires skill, inspiration, intuition and…yes, problem solving. While some true artists can do the latter exclusively with intuition those of us who aren’t that gifted need to do so analytically.
It would help to see the original painting properly hung on a large, otherwise empty wall. I think it would immediately reveal the source of the problem which is with the sky, specifically the sky at the middle of the composition. Interestingly the problem is likewise more obvious in a much smaller format presentation:
With proper perspective you see that the tree branches at the center of the canvas are too dense, obliterating too much of the sky.
All tree limb, no sky
Not saying that’s not what it looked like to the naked impressionistic eye but as all artists know, reality sometimes needs a little boost. The eye would land comfortably if the space were either completely obscured, as in Ocean’s Bridge…
or Winter In The Forest.
Or more completely open, as in Forest Quiet
Charles Weed solves a similar problem with dots of light breaking through the dense bramble in Beaches – Winter:
Can you tell what my New Year’s resolution is? It’s to get back into the studio in case that isn’t obvious either.
Anyway somebody commented yesterday that Winter Silence looked like a paint by number, which reminded me of one of my favorite Calvin and Hobbes panels:
And as we all know, normal is boring.
Normal is Boring.
Posted from: MOTUS A.D.
Boring is normal - and normal is vastly underappreciated these days.
Oh - and nice work, by the way!
In the first painting, it looks like the two trees are engaging in a snow fight.
I always thought the MOTUS stood for (Mother) of the US, and was created to (honor) Michelle, in a way.
Going to her site I see that it is Mirror of the US.
Which it is, as the elite wait for us old codgers in fly over country to slowly die off. A true reflection of all the US.
That even humblegunner doesn't complain about ...
In the first painting it looks like the trees have abstract faces on them.
Abnormal is boring because there is no trying involved, just do whatever.
I like these, especially the unusual colors in the first one.
They remind me of the Canadian Group of Seven.
Calvin and Hobbes for the win - great panel.
The first painting has no focal point of interest. The two large trees on either side compete for interest. And the colors are kind of odd. The other two have a focal point. Lighting is an issue in the first one as well (or lack thereof). It lacks highlights. I find the next two much more pleasing to the eye.
I’ve spent a lot of days walking in winter woods and a lot of days looking at them from deer stands. There’s nothing wrong with that first painting. That’s what you see sometimes.
And here’s another Thanks for posting MOTUS for us.
and those paintings are gruesome ...and uglier than a Leftie’s soul.
I like the first painting...looks like a view in the Methow Valley in winter...that’s a snow covered canyon wall in the background.
I vote thumbs-up on the first painting.
Of course everyone’s taste in art is different, so “like” vs. “don’t like” is meaningless.
But here’s what influenced me:
The sky isn’t a problem, or a concern. One hint from the artist that a view or contemplation of the limitless, expansive, free sky is not to be hoped for in this painting is the horizontal bar — branch — at the top center. This is the frame of this image. Don’t hope to leave it looking for the sky.
And if you do look at the sky, here are round, globule things like snowflakes to make you blink and look away from the white sky area.
The colors of the trees! Who else on a gray day would think to use so many varieties of colors in a gray and brown wood? Perhaps only Picasso.
And then, someone mentioned that if you are so inclined you can see impressionistic faces in the trees; and another mentioned you can see movement in them. So the artist has succeeded in his goal of making you see what you want to see, and in instructing you in something new (for me, the variety of colors in a challenging setting without blazing light).
BINGO! As I looked at that first painting with this in mind, I found faces and abstract figures all over it, not just on the trees. Unless you look with that in mind, it is hard to see, but the subconscious notices and kicks us saying, “something funny is going on here...” Now that I see it, I can’t unsee it, and I can sit here for a long time finding lots of thing in the picture.
Subsequent viewings reveal what I might consider flaws in the first painting: the greens in the right are too intense—colors in nature are muted over all, especially in winter, and the black lines on the left side flatten the illusion— there are no contour lines in nature; line is a synthetic, graphic device that transcribes edges.
I find the horizontal dots piercing the thicket in the third(?) pic a little too strong, it would be nice to see them blended back a little.
These objections are trivial though; all of those pictures are great—assertive and beautiful. It’s good to remember: great pictures are great despite myriad flaws, not because they don’t have them.
Boring is good ! That’s what I told my teenager. She didn’t listen and it almost killed her. Now she’s in oh -so-boring New York !
So many times in History PEOPLE PRAYED THAT THINGS BE NORMAL AND BORING.
Remember that Chinese Curse - “May you live in interesting times’
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