Musings on today’s perceptions

A few weeks ago, I was participating in the Art By the Lake exhibit with my fellow artists from the Lakeshore Association.

Here I am with my tent enjoying it all:

We had a really good turnout and were blessed with fantastic weather and it was a lot of fun talking with friends, family, clients and other visitors that came. As a bonus, we were happy to contribute to an important cause.

One thing struck me though and it made me question people’s mood and perceptions these days.

Some of the paintings I was presenting namely “Indomitable” and “Golden Watch” were created a while back in 2017, pre-pandemic , pre invasion of Ukraine by Russia and pre today’s increased awareness of climate change and  forest fires.

At the time, I wrote several posts on this particular series, the whys and details of working on a series, materials used and such. But the main idea was about the beauty and protection we get from forests and nature, its force, its importance and beauty.

For this series, I aimed to paint the forest in a semi-abstract style and limit my palette to primary colors.

Here are two of these paintings with their accompanying poems I published at the time.

Indomitable ©2017Suzanne Bélair, Acrylic on canvas, 30 X 30 in (76,2 X 76,2 cm)

Man wants to subdue the forest

To his power, to his needs

Man wants to tame the forest

But the forest is fighting

Each time it resists

After each attack, it regenerates

Indomitable, secret, new

Each time it reveals itself

Despite the assaults

Every time it survives

Golden Watch ©2017Suzanne Belair Acrylic on canvas 30 X 30 in (76,2 X 76,2 cm)

Immutable

Golden warmth is keeping watch

Over the forest and its inhabitants

Have no fear

There is protection

For all that live within

Its boundaries

As long as you submit

To its laws.

Now, in 2022, I would say that about 15% of the people I talked to, interpreted these paintings as forest fires and destruction instead of sunset and warmth in the background.

I believe that for people to see something like fire and destruction in a modern painting about the majesty and protection of forests and trees is a symptom that these particular individuals must be generally living in fear of tomorrow, even if subconsciously, their heads filled with negative images.

I find this very sad if it is how some people perceive the world today.

It is difficult to ignore the news and see the beauty of the world sometimes but necessary for our mental health.

I realise viewers need to interpret artworks so that it makes sense to them but it is becoming increasingly difficult to convey a positive message without using pastel colors and being dreamlike.

As for me, I still like my paintings and see the warmth, drama and protection of the forest and of nature in general in these which is what I wanted to express while using unconventional colours and shapes.

As an artist, I am happy I can communicate my love of nature and of everything around us through my art.

With Love

Suzanne

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Enviroart par Suzanne Bélair