Himmel auf Erden...

Comment

Comment by Nikki Coulombe on August 18, 2013 at 2:55pm

Fantastic, commendable! The top third of the composition with converging lines to a central perspective might otherwise be too predictable and symmetrical, except we zoom in then stay, captivated by the rich colors, and deep, moody atmosphere subtly reflected in the offset, more natural shape of that alluring body of water. The lower portion portrays flat, minimal flower shape variation, which might initially seem like an amateurish oversight, except this stimulates a kind of bird's-eye view, as if we're flying in, legs and feet poised about to land. The flowers also suddenly warp, as if sucked into a black-hole, enhancing the entry-effects. Whether deliberate or intuitive (equally legit), this is genius! 

Comment by Birgit Huttemann-Holz on January 16, 2013 at 9:29pm

Thank you Marcia, Good to find you here!!!!

Comment by Marcia Freedman on January 16, 2013 at 7:56pm

Heaven on Earth is a beautiful painting.  Draws you right in. Color is lush.

Comment by Resident Curator on January 15, 2013 at 9:49am

Curator’s Comment:

 

Himmel auf Erden- Heaven on Earth offers the viewer an intense, quixotic beauty.  The deep hues concentrated at the center of the piece coalesce into a dark liquid body that could be solid, or perhaps an opening in the lavishly painted ground. The horizon has concentrated cerulean hues, but the shape and intensity of the brushstrokes is volcanic, suggesting an eruption or momentous transformation of the landscape.  For me the pink roses on the edges of the picture soften this activity, and present a yielding beauty, or witness to the heavenly or divine plane. I love that ‘heaven’ doesn’t seem to be for the faint of heart.  Aeon (Touch Down) is also a gorgeously visceral encaustic.  I appreciate the super heated surface of the wax, resulting in controlled/random striations and tenuous breaks between semi-opaque veils of pigment.  The lack of identifiable elements does not inhibit the claim to landscape, as an open horizontal axis is still discernible.  But while there is some cool dark earth below, the sky reflects an excited turbulence, or as the title suggests a break in an otherwise timeless celestial cycle.