March 2018 SOLC–Day 5
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Andrew Wyeth, Wind from the Sea, 1947
Yesterday I wrote a slice about a small moment in the local post office in which an impromptu discussion of all things Andrew Wyeth was sparked by a sheet of stamps featuring his paintings. As I looked up an image of “Teel’s Island” to add to that post, I took some time to scroll through images of other Wyeth paintings. I was struck by how many of them captured the intimacy of a setting or a moment but were rich with deeper layered meaning. There is such a sense of story and mood in his work. Suddenly it struck me: If Andrew Wyeth had been a writer, he’d have been a Slicer!
That thought was enough to send me down a rabbit hole. I started reading a bit more about Wyeth and everything I read confirmed this thought. For example, Wyeth himself said, “I paint my life.” Change “paint” to “write” and you’re slicing! He focused on the land, people and objects around him, both in Maine and in Pennsylvania. His focus on rendering these everyday scenes with exquisite detail reminds me of the best small moment stories– Both recognize the potential of a moment in time and then carefully craft a piece that captures and transcends that moment. Wyeth’s work is imbued with emotional resonance. It pulls me in.
Andrew Wyeth, Alvaro and Christina, 1968
Andrew Wyeth, Teel’s Island, 1954
Interestingly, even with his focus on everyday objects, realistically portrayed, Wyeth considered himself an abstractionist rather than a realist.
“My people, my objects breathe in a different way: There’s another core–an excitement that’s definitely abstract. My God, when you really begin to peer into something, a simple object, and realize the profound meaning of that thing- if you have an emotion about it, there’s no end.”
That says it all, right?
And then in one of those wonderful serendipitous moments, while I was reading about Wyeth, I stumbled upon the fact that there was an ongoing exhibit of his drawings at the Farnsworth Museum in Rockland, Maine. Quickly I checked the exhibit dates: Opened September 15, 2017. Closing Sunday, March 20th.
So, guess where I went yesterday!
Nix the comfort zone 
One happy accident begets another, it seems!
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Isn’t it fun when that happens?
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What a fun connection! I think you are absolutely right. Wyeth’s art does capture the tiny moments of his life. His paintbrush is his pen and his canvas is his paper.
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Exactly!
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YES! So glad you made it to the museum! On thing I read that has stuck with me is that in the doorknobs he draws himself- usually a distorted reflection of him drawing! You’re totally right about him being a slicer- he captures these small intimate moments.
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Cindy, that doorknob might just be part of an upcoming slice! The drawings were fascinating and the window into his process illuminating.
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You are so right! He was a slicer! What a great connection. And thanks for the head’s up on the dates at the Farnsworth. I really need to get down there before it closes!
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Paula, double check the dates before you go. It’s well worth a visit and seeing the process behind his paintings raised so many parallels with writing for me. ( I just might slice about that! )Also, lots of the galleries are closed right now. The upside of that was they gave us a coupon for a free return visit 🙂
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Road trip! Well done.
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Thanks for this post. I really enjoyed looking at the paintings and learning more about his process. This is a really great idea for a slice.
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Thanks !
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Now postage stamps to learning about the artist, researching him & then going to see his art exhibit. What a wonderful mini journey.
Didn’t another slicer wrote about keeping an lookout for little joys yesterday? Was it Deb Daly?
Happy slicing.
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It was a very enjoyable journey. 🙂 I’ll see if I can find Deb’s post. Thanks.
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My father is an artist and a long time fan of Andrew Wyeth’s work. I love how you were sent on a journey while researching him. I’d love to see some of his work face to face. Such beauty and depth.
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His drawings were fascinating, Margaret. What a great exhibit!
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