Creeping Hydrangea l and ll, 2024, oil on panel, 24” x 13” each
Nancy T. Baker: A Wider Lens
The Craignair Gallery, Spruce Head, ME
May 1–May 28, 2024
Opening Reception:
Wednesday, May 1, 4–7 PM
At times, I have heard someone comment that a painting of mine “looks like a photograph”. While I know it is well intended, I see it as an indication that I have not delivered what matters most to me in the work that I do.
Technically, in terms of a subject being accurately rendered the piece might well have been successful. However my north star is to offer a viewer a new way of looking at a subject and that is never as straightforward as a photograph. It is in the translation between direct observation and my internal, subjective experience of it where all the magic lies.
I’m after the magic, the transcendence of reality. That can involve a shift in context, compositional choices, careful color harmony—the myriad of decisions an artist makes in a painting. When I am able to do that, to surprise you, I’ve made my mark. It is my intention that these paintings offer that to you and that you’re moved by seeing and experiencing a familiar subject in a brand new way. And that doing so makes a lasting impression on you and encourages you to observe your world with a fresh perspective.