I received a photo of a painting that is on it's way to me now - another small work by Ontario artist JoEllen Brydon. It was a gift from my company, and JoEllen asked me what I'd like - so I said something with fields, trees, houses and horses. I'd say she's covered that off pretty well.
This the other piece of hers I own...
So what is it that appeals to me about her work? It's quite different than the other things you will find in my house -- an encaustic piece by this artist; a tiny etching by another- among many other things. It's something about the directness and unpretentiousness of her paintings. JoEllen paints stories from her childhood in rural Ontario - the larger paintings usually have text on them with brief stories about Jehovah's Witnesses visiting, or the time she rode a pony through an abandoned house, or the mysterious men that put up barns nearby, or car crashes that happened on the rural roads...nothing extraordinary, just moments of the every day. There are no pretensions. It might seem "cute" at first glance, but it's not. Whimsical? Sure. Heavy artist statement related to it? Likely not. But it's her life, big and small, that she paints. It makes me smile. And aren't I lucky.
4 comments:
yes indeed. i have always admired your collecting sensibility. surrounding yourself with bits you love. what could be better than that?? (oh and i love the new layout here too!) xo
Very envious of your new acquisition - you always did find pieces with an energy that reflected your own. Glad to see that hasn't changed ;-)
Loving the site by the way. Don't get to check in too often, but I always feel I should be reading your stories over a cup of tea curled up in the big red chair. Sorry I've been lurking too long.
Hugs.
Mark - LURKER! I feel violated ;-)
J.U. - no stealing. You can look though.
Those are nice.
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