Reality Check - Contemporary American Trompe L'Oeil
Exhibition Catalogue |
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Sarah Lamb
Mrs. Cooch's Blueberries, 2010
Oil on linen, 17 x 13 inches
Collection of the artist
Sarah Lamb works within the classical tradition of trompe l'oeil in terms of subject and composition, looking back to the Dutch masters and creating images inspired by nature.
The artist's remarks:
"When it comes to finding inspiration for a painting, I'm particularly drawn to interesting colors - from the boldest to the most subtle - and various textures - from smooth and shiny to rough and rusty. Dusty bottles, fuzzy fruits, shiny metals and iridescent feathers are some of my favorite subjects. I'm fascinated by the way light is absorbed, reflected, and shines through objects. Trying to capture its myriad effects is endlessly challenging and equally exciting.
"Knowing how I love to paint fruit with leaves still intact, a local artist friend e-mailed me a picture of her mother's blueberry bushes in full bloom. As I was eager to paint them, she generously gave me permission to pick armfuls of them! When I began arranging them in the light of my studio, I was instantly reminded of one of my favorite 19th-century American still-life paintings, Grapes, by Joseph Decker (1890-95, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC). He chose a pale, uncomplicated, warm background to accent his delicately painted purple grapes. In contrast, I used an old, worn barn door that has become a recurring theme in my paintings. I was attracted to the texture of the dry, pock-marked wood next to the juicy, smooth blueberries shrouded in bloom.
"Being predominantly a still-life painter and a realist, I've always been seduced by the art of tromp l'oeil. The genre seems a natural fit with the subjects I find interesting, the compositions I'm drawn to, and the way I see the world through paint."
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