@Annette Bartlett-Golden, Refreshment. Oil on canvas, 20 by 16 inches. Why I Paint Butterflies
by Annette Bartlett-Golden Listening to the latest news of tragedy on the radio as I was driving home from an afternoon meeting, I felt deeply saddened and concerned for the country. In the midst of such serious issues, I wondered what I could do to make a difference. Some artists make provocative art to raise awareness of difficult issues; I paint pastoral landscapes and butterflies lingering on flowers. So I took pause to consider why I paint these simple tranquil subjects. The answer came quickly: it’s how I stay sane amidst the craziness. It’s how I find solace from the sea of discordant voices. Surrounded by paintings of mountain vistas, views of the flower garden, and vignettes of children at play, my studio is my private sanctuary. It is a haven for contemplation and imagination. Inoffensive oil paint tubes in an open tool cart drawer, brightly colored collage papers on a table, a multicolored skirt draped over the sewing machine all greet my pensive glance; materials full of possibility. Here in the studio, with the door closed, I can think and ponder and come to terms in some measure with the world beyond. It is here that I create order out of seeming disorder, I examine the ordinary and find it is exquisite, and it is also here that I find clarity and healing. Making art and writing are an essential part of that process for me. And so, after the painting is finished, the collage complete, the poem polished, I share them with the hope that for someone else they may also soothe the frazzled spirit, provide respite from the stresses of the day, and evoke happiness.
2 Comments
Adele
7/12/2016 01:31:18 pm
Beautifully stated and oh so true for many of us who are artists. I love the painting with those clear, crisp orange pops against the luscious range of greens.
Reply
Annette Bartlett-Golden
7/20/2016 12:42:42 pm
Thank you for your comment and for your kind words, Adele!
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Annette Bartlett-Golden paints a wide range of subjects from landscapes to animals and makes abstract works with paper. Using vibrant colors, she imparts a sense of immediacy, vivacity and optimism to her paintings and paper collages. Archives
July 2019
Categories
All
|