Dusk at Walpi Pueblo

Comment

Comment by Resident Curator on December 21, 2016 at 5:37pm

Curator’s Comment:

I’m entranced by the wide range of violet hues in Dusk at Walpi Pueblo, and the way the physical structure appears to melt into the rugged earth. The dramatic vista expected from a “big sky” painting in the same genre is flipped in favor of a smaller proportion of understated space above the horizon in order to place more emphasis on the natural configurations below. The spatial alignment of the actual sky line with the edge of the buildings provides both a dynamic point of visual tension, and a fluid transition in space. Painted in a highly realistic style, the piece nonetheless skillfully limits the range of colors to create and hone a homogenized color palate. I’m appreciative of the golden tones in the piece than complement the cooler hues. The compartmentalization of shapes of differing values within the pueblo and rock formations travel across physical geographic boundaries, also creating an abstract and inviting shadow pattern.