Bruce Docker: Blue Field, Green Sky

I have always found something soothing in deep perspectives such as this one. The eye may travel languorously from the closest tree to the farthest, without tiring; on the contrary, the process may even produce a re-energizing effect. The space is divided by color, the blue assigned to the foreground, and the lighter greens and yellows (save upon the trees) to the background -- further (following the lines) emphasizing the difference between the close and the more distant areas. Perhaps such a painting may serve as a substitute for a nature walk, at least from a compositional&spatial point of view. The colors, though playing an important role in defining the realistic compositional space, are much more surreal than "natural." Perhaps the only realistic color here is the white of the cloud, which hovers above the scene, in an engulfing motion. It may seem as a foreign body in this piece, conflicting thematically with the rest of the palette; still, it provides a needed relief from the rather intense, typical to the artist's style saturated hues.

The fence in the foreground is a recurring motif. It is interesting to notice how dilapidated it always appears, and even more so how its parts seem to form hieroglyphs, repeating the oriental theme I described in the previous post. But it may have a different symbolic purpose: together with the hill and the blue stripe near the bottom of the piece (which resembles a ditch filled with water), it forms a series of obstacles preventing unwanted visitors entering... the blue castle near the right upper corner! But this scenario may have its faults, as the yellow plains behind the hill seem to put in question the effectiveness of such a defensive complex. Still, the idea of defense pertains to this distinctive arrangement: perhaps, along with the line of trees, this is a farmer's way of protecting his crops from invaders, in the form of people, as well as natural disasters.

The shapes of the trees and of the cloud, though recognizable, are on the verge of transforming into completely abstract geometrical forms. This could be the result of a light effect of extreme sunny haziness, the same one that renders the sky green, -- it may be distorting the shape of said objects too. But the contours around the crowns and the cloud undermine this hypothesis. There is an obvious intent of making these forms contained and distinct, regardless of surroundings. Therefore, the abstraction, as well as the contours, demonstrate an intentional stylistic bias. The lines in particular are post-impressionistic, van Goghian, to be even more specific. Nearly every landscape van Gogh painted after seeing the impressionists in Paris boasts such lines. I find the allusion quite gratifying: besides the tribute, it adds historical depth to this daily painting.

Dee Sanchez: Clouds Over Taos

The protagonist of this piece is color, while lines, this time in their usual subdued role, are the foil. Due to various effects, palette that could seem overabundant, demonstrates a tasteful, and even austere mix. First, the hot yellow and red in the foreground are counteracted by the cool blue and brown in the background. Second, there is a linear opposition: the hills, which expand horizontally, weigh down the verticals of the bushes. And third, most of the colors concentrate in the lower half of the canvas, the top being almost all white, -- neutral and relaxing. These inner contrasts leave their mark on the observer, making viewing the painting a rather intense experience. Perhaps not intentionally so, but the multiplicity and the versatility of painterly effects burdens this piece with meaningful aesthetic tension.

The motif of levels and steps is continued here: the heads of the bushes form a ladder, as well as the hill lines in the background. It is interesting to notice how elements of individual style recur in what might seem like a completely different painting. The bushes also form a fence, not unlike the one in "Night Suns;" the two farthest hills are red and blue in both paintings and all of the yellows appear in the foreground. Yet these two pieces are entirely different. This is the sign of a master who is in control of her craft: when particular elements reappear in completely different works of art, making it evident that they came out from under the same brush.

However, determining the formal style of this painting may prove to be more difficult. The growth seems distinctly impressionistic, but the hills are quieter than that, and their color may be misleading. Perhaps they are more post-impressionistic, carrying some expressionistic elements -- an improbable combination that works, -- which may lead one to question the benefits of the style-determining practice in the first place. Often, too many specific words will only obscure the actual affect. Instead, the best way to understand and enjoy this piece is simply to move from one step to another, exploring the colors and how they interact. The artist made sure that the viewer will be kept busy for quite some time.