Copyright: All artwork/content protected under ©2007-2011 Lynne Ciacco

All content herein copyright © Lynne Ciacco


Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Family Ties

An intriguing little painting emerged from the textured surface I'd layed down with cheesecloth, a piece of lace, an oval-shaped scrap of canvas, and some scrunched-up tissue from an old sewing pattern.  I don't know if it's the family groupings in Aris's charming paintings over at peekadoo that are subtly influencing me, or the sketchy beings who crop up in Jeanne Meyers' work from time to time, but it seems that the human form is struggling to come through in my paintings these days.

©2010 L.Ciacco, The Four Sisters Gather at the Dining Room Table. Acrylic, fabric, tissue on cradled board,
8 x8 inches.
I had a dreadful time trying to replicate the colours of this piece so that you'd get a real feel for what the painting looks like, but I don't think they've come out quite right.  It's always a completely different experience to stand in front of a "live"painting at any rate, don't you find? 

I lead a very isolated sort of life in a small village with my partner of 30+ years, far away from all of our family members.  We also don't have much of a social circle, so my life truly reflects the Joni Mitchell line "I am a lonely painter, I live in a box of paints."   Perhaps this lack of human contact is what's prompting me to paint people into my canvasses these days.  At any rate, it's fascinating to find them appearing.

About the sisters who cropped up in this painting:  I can't help but wonder why it is they've gathered and what it is they're so serious about.  I like how each has her own distinct character.  Lots of scope for the viewer to make up stories about them!  My husband, perhaps due to his former identity of TV interviewer, feels  they're looking at him and saying, "So, what's your story?"  I'd love to hear what your take on the little tableau might be.

6 comments:

  1. Anonymous7/28/2010

    Could it be that they have just now heard that they have been left out of the Will?

    Shirl

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  2. A great interpretation! They do look a little shocked and annoyed, to put it politely.

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  3. I'm feeling they might be ill at ease...gazing at something all together having a similar reaction. I like the composition. I also like how you let them appear and even stay...I've been drawn to paint more abstract...taking out images...go figure?

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  4. Hi Blue Sky,
    Isn't it interesting how we, as artists, go through stages of being drawn (pardon the pun) to making certain kinds of art, expressing ourselves in certain symbols, or shapes, or palettes. I love looking at others' abstract work and puzzle greatly at how they arrive at the end place, but when it comes to doing so myself, I generally lack the confidence. I get to a place where I just have to have something to hang my hat on, so to speak. Thus, I hunt for shapes that want to come out as human or animal. But that's for now. Who knows where I will be in the process in the future.

    I agree with you about the sisters looking rather ill at ease about something. Perhaps it was just the fact of having their picture taken.

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  5. Each has their own personality... Bold and forthright, childlike and a bit of a handful, sweetly but sadly sensitive, shy and retiring. That's going from front to back. But still, with all their personality differences, they hang together like a unit giving each other strength to face the world on their own terms. It's beautiful to me.

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  6. Thanks, Stickup. It pleases me no end that you find it beautiful. I love how you relate to each of the sisters, discerning their individual characters; and discerning how they are interconnected. Facing the world on their own terms...isn't that a great way to be. I suspect this is a character trait of your own!

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