St. Valentine’s Day week, I attended a showing of artist Lynne Rey’s seriously fun oil paintings - a collection of still lifes imbued with the happy calm of an organized household, featuring quiet moments of domestic bliss.
How do I love them? Let me count the ways…
One – Beautiful, saturated color presented with a limited complimentary color scheme.
.
.
.
Two – Tight, focused crop of still life subjects with a somewhat flattened, forced perspective. As if you were viewing a small detail in a much larger painting and you are left wondering what the rest of the scene may hold.
.
.
.
Three – Choice of subject matter. Tulips, tea pots, doughnuts and cupcakes. Small every day and often overlooked objects of a peaceful homelife.
Four – The smart juxtaposition of a high gilt ornate frame with daily, even mundane subject matter that elevates a portrait of doughnuts to vernerable ancestor status.
.
Pure Whimsy.
Can you see the Doughnut Series in your kitchen? Cupcakes in the powder room? Or the Tulips in the front hall? Really anywhere you need a shot of sublime, delightful domesticity in your harried, hectic homelife these sweet little paintings will do the trick.
