August 16, 2007

Which Way Is Up?



Remember how I blogged about abstracted landscapes and how my reps were 'clamoring' for more? Okay... so I included a couple in a recent haul to NOLA. When she saw the tall, skinny 'Heights' what is her immediate reaction? "Can it be hung horizontally as well?" Umm... not as a landscape, but sure, it's abstract enough to go whichever. Granted, I'm well known for wiring my works in multiple configurations... guess I need to check for compositional balance when these newer landscapes are turned sideways. The above options don't feel right to my eye, but then I'm it's creator/mom and see it as upright. (Stand up, you lazy slouch!) The well behaved version can be seen a few posts back... scroll down if these make you dizzy.

I had four g-kids with me (ages 8-12, blended family) when I delivered the five paintings... gave each kid one to carry in while I struggled to dislodge the above 60" painting from the interior of the van. So I didn't see the look on my reps face as the back doorbell rang and in marched the four kids delivering. But she was very complimentary of my use of child labor. Gotta say, this age group is sure a lot easier to manipulate than the earlier years. When they get a little older they'll be hard to find when you need them, but right now they can actually do things for you, are anxious to please and really respond to praise and appreciation. I can deal with that!

Really enjoyed all the kid-kompany the past few weeks... wish I'd had more time to make tracks around NOLA but man it's been hot... both here and there. Setting records here for something like ten triple digit days and forever without rain... at least the grass was green down there. I came back to dead and dying favorite plants. Our landscaping mainstay is mostly English ivy (at both houses) and lots of it is giving up the ghost. Dogwoods are stressed and will probably lose many. The roadside landscape hints at fall color and it ain't fall! Well, there are worse scenarios I guess... I'm not a farmer.

9 comments:

Walker said...

Hey - whatever works! I wouldn't have thought of the horizontal orientation, but it does work. Isn't it great to be so versatile?

Joanie Gagnon San Chirico said...

I like the bottom one with the red to the left, it works!

Martha Marshall said...

Karen, love the piece any way you turn it!

We're headed for your neck of the woods tomorrow, but sadly won't have time to swing by. I'm not looking forward to the temps, but the break is going to be lovely.

(We'll be staying on the lake!!)

CMC said...

Far be it for me to judge, Karen.....BUT, first thing I think of when they are turned this way is that the curvature of the land that works for a vertical isn't as good to my eye this version. And maybe a little of that light that is in the "sky" in the vertical could be repeated if it was a horizontal......But that's just my quickie take.

Sounds great to have helpers hauling the work around.

Annette Bush said...

Re: the heat and being a farmer. Brother-in-law has cows and horses and little food. There is very little hay available for sale at more than double the usual price. Most folks are trying to keep enough for their own herds. His animals look very thin. We've had rain two afternoons; we hope for rain for their parched landscape.
A

Karen Jacobs said...

Appreciate the comments... I favor it as a vertical but the eventual buyer can hang it inside out as far as I'm concerned... certainly don't plan to touch it up for versatility's sake. But goes to show that rectangular abstracts should hang well from at least two sides.

Martha... if you're going to passing through T-town surely you'll need an ice tea break on my deck! Would hate missing even a quick hug and chat!

Annette... I get through tough times thinking about those who have it harder than I... remembering stories about wells gone dry and pioneers with no bottled water in ice chests. How soon we forget.

Rebecca Crowell said...

I can relate to this! I get this response quite often with my vertical paintings, and I'm particular about it when asked. In my case I think only a few of my paintings work horizontally. But the bottom line is that things are out of my hands once they leave my studio, and maybe fresh eyes see something interesting in a horizontal format that I did not.

For these paintings of yours--I do like them as horizontal abstractions. But with their suggestions of landscape, it seems to me that your intentions are changed quite a bit when hung horizontally. So that would be a valid objection. But there is much to be said though for letting go and moving on, or being flexible. A situation like could definitely open up new ideas.

Karen Jacobs said...

I think my subject line gave the impression that I was seeking help deciding, when in fact, like you said, it's out of my hands once I turn it over to the gallery. Flexibility comes in when I
1) give the gallery permission to rotate it, and
2) create compositions that are rotatable.

My body may not be as flexible as it once was but my artistic intent is. Why shouldn't the buyer have input in how a painting should look according to their decor, standards or eye? We allow them to frame to suit themselves. Rotating allows them to think of getting two for the price of one... and who doesn't like a bargain?

Daphne Enns said...

Okay, so you aren't looking for help. But honestly, I'm driven to distraction seeing your landscapes side-ways! I look and think, well maybe if the top of the sky was almost black...but they're just so obviously landscapes to me. Which is funny because I'm sure that a lot of people wouldn't read them as such.

Most of my rectangular canvases end up working both vertically and horizontally, some I've hung one way until I've grown bored and then I turn them.

Anyway, what ever works for the buyer.

And as usual, your work has sparked a conversation.