Acrylic on board, 18″ x 24″
This painting revisits the theme of plush indoor furniture formally misplaced in the wild, underwater, or in this case… under frolicking butterfly-winged frogs! They represent freedom and transformation. Hybrids and mash-ups. The juxtaposition of opposed images is intended to cause a shift in awareness for the viewer – a questioning of complacency concerning one’s perception of reality. A complex challenge but a concept to explore with bright, bold colors and a dramatic use of lights and darks. Renaissance paintings inspire me when constructing imaginary landscapes. This time, I noticed so many orange trees.
Oranges and orange trees often feature in images associated with the Medici family (whose coat of arms bore six red balls).
Clare Gibson, ‘The Hidden Life of Renaissance Art’
Thus, they are a subtle acknowledgment to the benefactors by the artists. Personally, I associate them with that classic style of painting. Plus, the bright orange of the fruit echoes the glow of the sky… And they’re delicious!