Acrylics on paper
April 2007

Our fast-paced consumer culture often leads us to discard or neglect that which is flawed or aged. By contrast, the tradition of “still life” composition causes both the artist and the viewer to slow down and appreciate certain objects, often flawed or aged, found in everyday life.

I found two displaced vases and assembled a simplistic composition in which they were given a place. As I slowed down to “take in” the vases, I discovered a subtle harmony and a simple beauty in both colour and form. Painting and observing this simple beauty led me to wonder what kind of beauty could be found in other everyday objects. I was ushered into appreciative contemplation through things I never would have even noticed before.

Let us heed the wisdom of the Masters, slowing down and contemplating the everyday, discovering that “the ordinary” has the potential to surprise us with its beauty.