This
series of mixed media paintings feature various large, predominately
red trees which are usually accompanied by a female figure or
birds. The trees are composed of rounded,almost pregnant looking
shapes,holding groups of oversized leaves and fruit. Many of the
leaves are cut from fabric,supplying a multitude of pattern,texture
and color. Each unique leaf is like a gift or packet of possibilities.
The fruit is round and ambiguous.
The women in the paintings are often in asitional position,on
all fours,grounded to the earth beneath them. They reach for or
contemplate the round fruit before them. The fruit is ripe with
symbo tranlism - wisdom,fulfillment, sensuality and fertility. The
women could be from any part of the world,set in any time period,under
their trees , with mountains or bodies of water behind them.
In “Tree of Possibilities” the figure is partially
obscured behind bar-like lines of rain. The beauty of nature surrounds
her. Under the tree, full of hope and expectation, she reaches
out for the fruit and egg-like shapes.
This recent work is painted with acrylic on either paper or canvas.
The shapes of fabric and lace are carefully adhered and integrated
into the surface of the painting. All of the fabric is from Carolyn’s
eclectic collection,which spans decades. This adds to the richness
to the symbolism as we see a bit of scarf from the sixties placed
next to some traditional embroidery from an earlier era, or a
Thai silk juxtaposed with an American seersucker. |
