Wednesday, November 06, 2013

Unforgettable

Jensen by Jim Rogers


I've been haunted by this painting since I first saw it during the Minnesota Watercolor Society Fall Exhibition at the Colonial Church in Edina. I'm sorry my photograph caught a reflection in the glass across the top— please disregard. I visited this little gem several times. What is it about this painting that kept calling me back? We artists try to express what can't be described in words using a visual language created by brush, paint, skill and intuition. It's a deeply personal and often subliminal communication. In Jensen, artist Jim Rogers has created a sensitive portrait that speaks volumes. There is nothing generic about this piece. It's alive. It's personal. It's brimming with subtlety and mystery. What do those blue eyes see? Is she afraid? Perplexed? Is she scolding us? The artist has expressed the essence of this young girl so well, her spirit captivates and stays with us long after we turn away from the painting. The intensity of her gaze and the tangled curls of her hair are reinforced by the cool, dark color palette and loose brushwork of the background. Every choice the artist has made, conscious or not, supports the earnest, inquisitive expression of her face. I like this painting quite a lot. I hope the artist exhibits it in other venues so that you can experience it in person, too.

5 comments:

  1. Such intense eyes she has for such a little one... As if troubled about something... But maybe that is my projection... I love how you describe how it touched you... It's wonderful to actually *feel* that about a piece - the aliveness, the subtlety, and the mystery. Now if we could just do that in life! :)

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    1. Painters study art academics endlessly in the hope that they can communicate elusive, subtle qualities words can't express. That's what makes a great painting. You know it when you see it. While skill is helpful, it's not so important as expression from the heart. And isn't all of life that way?!

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    2. Yes, that's really what I meant, to experience life that way, to really *see* it and allow Life to touch us...

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    3. Thank you my Mystic friend! I think the visions in your heartfelt poetry are like a great painting.

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