By Krystyna Ozog
Georgia O’Keeffe amuses her viewers by her unique
painting style and unspeakable beauty of her subjects. In fact, she is able to evoke
in her viewers emotions or reactions towards her creation, the way she
perceives it herself, and this is what promotes a painter to a very outstanding
rank. “Even when it was difficult for Americans to gain exposure to the
principles of modern art, and in spite of being female, Georgia O’Keeffe made a
substantial place for herself in the avant-garde art word”, Donald Goddard, p.
186.
Georgia
O’Keefe has brought a tremendous attention to her a very unusual way of
presentation of her objects by uniting naturalness and abstractness in them,
and by emphasizing their size. She is very well – known for introducing a
delicate subject to her painting; flower. Although, many famous artists have
painted flowers earlier, I am confident that none of them would create an
atmosphere or mood for their paintings in a way O’Keeffe done. When observing
her flower a viewer is able to read it like a book, because that flower brings
a message with it. As I mentioned above, Georgia O’Keefe creates her flowers is
a very naturalistic way and subtract them as well what lets her creation to be
more eloquent. Her brilliant ideas arise not only from her knowledge on art, or
her talent to present it, but also from her hands on experience based on an
observation of a nature around her, as well. “I can not paint the sun or the
desert on paint the sun or the desert on a bright summer morning, but maybe in
terms of paint color I can convey to you my experience of the flower or the
experience that makes the flower of significance to me at the particular time,”
Georgia O’Keeffe, page 2 of 2. The painter’s success relies greatly on
exploring her flowers realistically to emphasize its significance. O’Keeffe
enjoyed her subject a great deal and she would like the viewer to notice some
details she put into it to understand it, more deeply, therefore she paints it
larger than it is in fact. “When O’Keeffe first began first painting large
scale depictions of flowers as if seen close up, which are among best known
pictures, she had become recognized as one of America’s most important and
successful artists,” Rebecca Salisbury, page 2 of 2. As I observe
O’Keeffe’s flowers, I intend to understand them more deeply.
I explore their colors, shapes, mood; I focus more
on their symbolic meaning or a message that they carry. There are four flowers
painted by O’Keeffe that effect on me astonishingly, “Red Canna”, “Yellow
Calla”’ Oriental Poppies”, and “Red Gladiola in white Vase”. All of them are
oil paintings, which had been created in a period of time called American
Realism, in late twenties.
“Red
Canna”, 12” X 16” painting is presented in a rainbow colors, a tender flower
that fascinates my eyes by its aliveness. Despite its delicate nature, the
flower reveals a great amount of energy in it, However, I noticed that a mood
of this painting is mostly elevated by its symbolism. As I look at the flower I
can compare it to a human body fill with purple and pink vain (purple and pink
lines separating parts of a flower). Also, a red color is emphasized strongly
and it promotes a feeling of a blood circulation, analogy to human life. “Red
Canna” is are of those paintings in which Georgia O’Keeffe tried to find a form
of expression through which she could reproduce her experiences of nature”,
wishihadthat.com, p. 2 of 2.
“Yellow Calla”, 9 3/8” X 12 ¾” painting emphasized mostly on a structure
of a flower. As the matter fact, I look at it both realistically and
symbolically. When I look at it realistically, I see an accurate copy of a
beautiful flower, which shows a lot of details in it. As I view it
symbolically, I notice a fetus in a woman’s womb. The parts of his body are not
developed yet; they are very fragile and delicate. There is a greenish line
going through a center of a flower, which is a symbol of a human life which
reminds me a navel string connected a child to a mother. Also, a yellow color,
which the painter introduced is a very significant to the painting, the yellow
represents hope. The fetus is being surrounded by water shown in 2 colors, pink
and white. Pink represents love, and white symbolizes innocence (the way we are
born). I just wonder how I would perceive same painting when reversing
colors? “Oriental Poppies”, 20” X 24”
contributes a very significant element into it: a specific mood created by
contrast in colors (black against red and its shades). Despite it, there is
balance and harmony in it, O’Keeffe presents two ordinary flowers in
extraordinary way, emphasizing their inner beauty. When observing it very
carefully. I am able to penetrate into his inside through its depth. Farther I
go through its layers, more I discover about his personality, (analogy to a
human character – more you know a person, better understand his behavior. On the other hand, the same flower conveys
some symbolic meaning as well. As I observe it closely, I notice a human face
with 2 black eyes in it. They are also 2 eyebrows above the eyes, and a nose
between them. The bright colors on the face reflect a human personality,
pleasant, joyful, and happy. However, the black color in it represents death
which means that both human and flowers are mortal.
“Red
Gladiola in white vase”, 10. 15” x 7” emphasizes every single detail of it, As
I look at it, I observe every corner of the flower: its bandings, folding,
curving. I am impressed with its shape and precision. They are some dry parts
on the flower and some corners of it loose its brightness, which indicates that
the flower fades. I assume that Red Gladioli is a very ripe perhaps coming out
of its bloom (a red appears darker or even rusty in some of its parts of
flakes). The flower in a such stage could be compare to mature, or even elder
age. Both human’s skin and flower’s flakes loose its luster and smoothness. On
the other hand, the white Glad Ida posses some energy in it. As I look at it, I
observe 2 outer flakes elevated like human’s arms and they symbolize on
existence of a life.
Georgia’s O’Keeffe flowers are unusual. They are beautiful and they
elevate a specific mood in them. By painting her flowers in both realistic and
abstractive way, she provoked her viewers to perceive them in a way she felt.
The painter was a very successful in transforming her real object to oil
painting with a high precision, because she had more than ability to do it, she
would understand she nature, as it was part of her life. Georgia O’Keeffe
contributed to America and the world a lot of ideas to follow. She will be
remembered forever. As long as flowers exist Georgia will stay alive.
Forty Sandra – The world of Art. PRC Publishing Ltd,
London, 1998, p. 487
Godward, Donald – American Painting. Hugh Lauten
Association, Inc, New York, 1990, p. 186.
www.okeeffemuseum.org the web site about Georgia O’Keeffe
www.wishihadthat.com
Art Gallery – Georgia O’Keeffe 9 oil Paintings, 11/29/02 p.2 of 2.