Art Piece Critique

¶ … painting takes on a two dimensional form. The shapes within the paining are organic as none of them appear symmetrical and are irregular in outline. Although the images in the painting are realistic as they are a snapshot of what would happen on an average day in an open road, the manner in which it was painted makes it seem a bit surreal.

The darkness enveloping the road and the cars as well as the focus coming from the view where the cars are behind almost evokes a sense of being in a dream. The position or perspective from which one sees the road behind provides emphasis on the headlights of the cars but also removes focus from the road. The character can either be interpreted as the cars or the trees. The cluttered background deters from the main subject focus confusing the viewer.

The lines seem jagged and harsh perhaps due to it being a finger painting. Subject: This oil on canvas painting portrays a darkening day with the road and cars being the focal point. Although the subject is supposed to be the landscape as described by the artist, the road and the cars appear to also bring in focus. Scott mentioned the sounds of noisy cars as being part of her inspiration, the use of cars on the road looking quiet amidst the dark background seems to play opposite of that.

Perhaps the quietness of the road brings to life the sounds of the moving cars more so than possible honking or anything else like that. The trees were also a focal point. When looking at the images, the serene solitude it evokes springs to life the sound of the leaves rustling in the wind. The artist discusses trees in the description and the noise they make in the wind.

Because the subjects clash in terms of whether or not the intended focus were the trees or the cars, the overall aesthetic is gloomy yet peaceful. Content: The artist, Iris Scott visited a town in Jackson Hole, Wyoming to go to her friend's wedding. There she was caught by surprise when she witnessed the beauty of the various landscapes. All of them to her seemed visually stunning and complex, as well as majestic and compelling.

She was so drawn to the land that it inspired her to paint this oil painting. One other element she witnessed in Wyoming was movement. The way the leaves blew, noisy cars rushing past, and even how the branches rustled in the breeze. All of these sounds and images create for her, a sense of open space, thus creation of the road in the painting. Medium: It is an oil on canvas painting.

Historical placement: Since there is no significant historical background on the piece it is safe to assume it represents the present day. The cars appear to be within this decade and although the road itself and the landscape can be viewed across several decades, the artist described her source of inspiration which transpired over a trip for a wedding. Therefore the subject matter would be that of modern day. References: The artist's references were the Wyoming landscape as well as the open road and the cars traveling on the road.

The trees seen on her trip to her friend's wedding provided the subject for the painting. Perceived Value: The paintings is quite large measuring 3 feet by 3 feet. Because of this I would say the painting is worth at least $3,000. The quality is high and is done by an artist who specializes in finger painting lending a unique aesthetic to the piece. Because it is an original and not a print, it would definitely be worth more however the $5,900 price tag seems a bit too high.

The subject matter although meaningful, seems simple and the background is mostly dark with limited textures and colors making it seem not as expensive as it actually is. Market Price: The market price for this painting as seen on Iris Scott's, the painter, website is $5,900. Most oil paintings of this nature tend to go for this price range except most of Scott's paintings are priced at the higher end. The measurements are 36x36 and was painted by a fairly well-known artist therefore the price on the website seems fairly accurate.

Critique: My own aesthetic is that of business and light strokes with geometric shapes. I prefer symmetry and concise representation vs. blurred, realistic. I enjoyed this piece for what it was, a snapshot of life,.