STILL LIFE AS A THEME

by Sally Brody

Still life as a theme can mean almost anything that isn't moving, but as a subject of painting or sculpture it can have infinite possibilities. As a painter of still lives, I find them endlessly fascinating.

A still life can be a realistic photograph or a stunning rendering in paint of the dew on a flower petal. It can be an abstract arrangement of color and form. But however it is presented a great still life will tell the viewer what the artist wants to portray of what he/she sees and how he/she feels about the world. The following artists from the BRIC Contemporary Artist Registry have done just that:

• JORDAN BUSCHUR: Secrets Revealed - This painting of a collection and of books implant ordinary objects with psychological meanings.

• ERIC KACZMARCZYK: RED ROOTS - His personal experience with landscape is reflected in his photographs by synthetically injecting or subtracting pigments into his landscape.

• MARION LERNER-LEVINE: Claire de Lune - This painting is a lyrical autobiographical domestic painting giving the viewer a view into the artist's life.

• HARRY NEWMAN: Last Woods 16 - The effects of climate change are apparent in this photograph of the breakdown of plant life and soil.

• AMY P LINCOLN: Aloe - This colorful meditative painting is delightful yet psychologically deep

• JANETTE H KOUMJIAN: Favorite Two-Tones - Skillfully painted this painting enhances the life force of objects

• LAURA J SHECHTER: Kitchen in Sacred Valley Peru - A painter of her travels and surroundings Schecter found this kitchen in Peru, photographed it, and made if her own. The viewer can feel how she felt about her kitchen and her travels.

• JUNO SHIMIZU: untitled - I selected the painting with 3 chairs on the left, an open door, and a bureau on the right - An empty, maybe abandoned room, a chair overturned this painting is telling us a story of loneliness and despair.

• JEFFREY SIMS: Dax Green and Gold - This painting of a few objects tells the viewer a story of a life, or does it? The artist says it is a painting of consumer culture but it is a lot more

BIO

Sally Brody is an artist living and working in Brooklyn. A painter and printmaker she is a member of the Atlantic gallery, a co-op gallery originally in Brooklyn and now in Chelsea.