Contemporary Art 1

The name of this painting is “Evening Performance.” This painting was created by the artist Jane Crowell. Jane found in her inspiration from the Deep South and from the Native Americans. Spending the majority of her life in Louisiana, she developed a keen eye for the landscapes and the colors of the South. She studied in Texas and became fascinated with the techniques of the Natives. Many of her pieces are pastels on paper as well as oils on a canvas.

This piece captivated me from the moment I saw it. In this particular painting, I felt a sense of tranquility and at the same time I felt like a kid waiting for the shooting stars to come out. I perceived the artist’s mood as calm and collected and that perhaps she was happy at the time of this creation. The tints of blue explain that the night is cool and mellow; however, one must not take away from the red, orange and pink tones. The reddish tones symbolize heat and passion; it is also the color of love. The color white normally means pure and is usually considered a summer color. When the artist mixed all of these colors together it seems to me as if she is trying to portray a story.

To me this artist is representing a life story through her work of art. The darker color around the edges of this picture signifies something gloomy that may have happened in this artist’s life. I have interpreted this story as: Someone close to the artist has recently passed away and that the artist is saddened by the loss of a loved one. However, the brightness in the middle of the painting is telling the other side of her feelings. When one passes there is a moment where people feel pain and misery but then there’s also the feeling of a spiritual uplifting and that’s where the artist paints the lighter colors. The red, white and light blue colors coming down from the clouds can be viewed as the heavens are opening up to the earth to bring the deceased to their new home. The artist may have felt that the death their loved one may have been hard to accept at first but then realized they were in a better place. The lighter blue tints and the reddish tones can represent all the good memories and celebration of that person’s life. The night is not meant to be dark and dreary but it is meant to commemorate the beauty of this person’s soul and life.