March 2004
Kristy Gordon
Ottowa, Ontario, Canada
kristy@kristygordon.com
www.kristygordon.com
In my travels across the country, I constantly find myself overwhelmed by the beauty and diversity of the land.
Within the city limits of Ottawa, commonplace fields such as those found in the horticultural experimental farms, provide a place where nature can be studied. In this setting, the vast skyscapes change as rapidly as patterns inside a kaleidoscope. I can never go by these fields without bringing the car to a halt, to look and to absorb the wonder of our world with its wondrous juxtaposition of land and sky.
Outside the capital, the densely forested regions of Algonquin Park imprint a different sensation, something akin to nourishment after a long fast. In the environment, minds take a rest from the constant bombardment of social obligation, endorsing quiet contemplation in its place.
Likewise, my discovery of the Charlevoix region of Quebec was a profound revelation for me as an artist. I was immediately struck by the simple solemnity I felt when I caught my first glimpse of the barns and small houses that populate the countryside. The charm of the small villages of Charlevoix has the nostalgic quaintness that one can only feel when meandering through a friendly community.
My intent is not to paint a representational image but to capture on canvas the essence of the scene, unique in its moment. My palette is put to work as I concentrate on placing in each element of the painting an array of related colors or pairing vibrant colors with subdued hues, doing whatever it takes for the work not to lose its clarity and richness.
In my approach to painting the landscape, I resist the temptation to idealize or romanticize. Instead, I allow the pure truth of the landscape to take visual form on the canvas, illuminating the unadorned beauty of the world.
