Tag Archives: Shadows

Shadow Play

I left off last week mentioning the work of Allison May Kiphuth, another “Small World” exhibitor at the Fleming Museum. But it wasn’t the size of Kiphuth’s work that intrigued me, it was the way shadow elevated one of her pieces.

Kiphuth

Grand Canyon, Arizona 3, Allison May Kiphuth, 2018, Watercolor on hand-cut paper, sealed with encaustic

I enjoy work that operates on different levels, making for a greater impact than one might get from its surface value alone. The shadows of the trees, cast behind the piece on the wall, add such an interesting dimension.

I couldn’t get the image out of my mind as I was driving home and was reminded of other pieces I’ve seen that have integrated shadows to dramatic effect, sometimes as the basis of the work and sometimes as a happy, though unintended bonus. See if you agree.

Carmelo Midili exhibited this stand-out piece at the Brattleboro Museum a number of years ago. It caught my eye because I too have made work with uneven edges, knowing strong gallery lights would cast interesting shadows around the perimeter.

Midili

Sogno #9, Carmelo Midili, 2014, Wood, discarded painting on canvas panel, pumice

This piece by Janet Van Fleet is part of a series that capitalizes on shadows in such a lyrical way.

Van Fleet, Disc Course

Janet Van Fleet, detail of a piece from her Circular Statements body of work, ca. 2010, buttons and other circular elements

Three other master manipulators of shadow are Kumi Yamashita,  and Tim Noble & Sue Webster.  It’s hard to imagine how they figure out how to construct these pieces. The detail is phenomenal.

Kumi Yamashita

0 to 9, Kumi Yamashita, 2011, Carved wood, single light source, shadow, Permanent Collection Le Meridien Shenyang, China

Dirty White Trash, Webster and Noble

Dirty White Trash (With Gulls), Tim Noble and Sue Webster, 1998,                6 months’ worth of artists’ trash, 2 taxidermy seagulls, light projector

One final piece that has stayed with me – in fact, I still have the postcard on my fridge from the show where I saw it – is by Andrea Lilienthal. While I don’t remember that it was explicitly stated that the shadows cast by the piece were an intended part of the work, it was an element that certainly made an impression on me, as this photo I took emphasizes.

Lilienthal, Roundabout

Roundabout, Andrea Lilienthal, 2014, White birch and acrylic paint

A Salute to November

There are many reasons I’m happy we live in Vermont, but a big one is that I’m grateful to have landed where each month is distinct from all the others. Asserted through our weather, the colors that surround us, and the resulting way we move through our days, this reliable sense of change within each year makes me feel grounded.

November-Color

In a nod to yesterday’s celebration, I think the monthly diversity that makes up a calendar year could be likened to the mixed bag of personalities that surround any family’s Thanksgiving table. Each 30-day period possesses its own strengths and weaknesses but, due to its individuality, occupies a place that no other could fill and would be sorely missed if absent.

BittersweetWatercolor

Bittersweet     ©2015 Elizabeth Fram                                                                        Bittersweet from my brother and sister-in-law’s garden is a fall treat. It adds a welcome visual spark via color, shape, and shadows — both inside and outside of the house.

That said, I have become very fond of the month of November. Pared down to essentials, it provides a crisp beauty and a sense of quiet following the exuberance of October’s visual fire and summer’s lushness. With the leaves now down, one can fully appreciate the beautiful structure of the trees and shrubs, which remains hidden for so much of the year and is now highlighted by the dramatic light and stark shadows cast by a sun sitting lower in the sky. Looking up through a screen of silhouetted tree branches to see twilight’s Prussian blue sky with a blush of rose, often accented with an evening star, takes my breath away.

November-Door

Although literature tends to paint it as bleak, I think November has a lot to offer us visually and internally as we bundle up in preparation for winter. I find this time of year particularly inspiring artistically. Influenced by what I see outside, my brain feels less cluttered and more open. The garden has finally been put to bed and inclement weather makes being in the studio a welcome refuge.

Bittersweet&MiniPumpkin1

November Arrangement     ©2015 Elizabeth Fram

I hope, now that the Thanksgiving cooking is behind you, you can put your feet up and relax this weekend. If possible, treat yourself to the visual inspiration of Geninne Zlatkis’ Instagram site. The farther you scroll, the more caught up you will become. A new Mexico painter, she takes stunning photographs of her surroundings, elevating the everyday to a new level of color, arrangement & detail — elements near and dear to my own heart. Enjoy!

❖

This week marks the 52nd post to this blog; a full year of weekly ideas and conversation. I’ve learned more from this endeavor than I ever would have guessed, and am grateful to you for your comments, encouragement, insight and most of all for continuing to read. Here’s to moving forward…