Carlsbad Art and Culture

A thick blanket of harmless clouds hangs low over a rigid belt of green trees. Yellow explodes to life in the highlighted edges of sprawling palms. Receding lines of a fence trail off out of view creating an exaggerated sense of perspective. Trees remain in the background while others leap forward like an excited grasshopper. The aqua pool sits alone like a grumpy drunk surrounded by the the motionless stories of gray barflies. Each drink is encouraged through the glassy eyes of a once playful summer day. High above the chilly water of the pool and inter mixed in the glowing palms, sits three steadfast landmarks, each very similar to the eye, narrow and tall, but also extremely different in meaning. The dark plump Juniper tree (or maybe Cypress) stands strong with rarely noticed functionality. Slightly behind, the steeple and cross of the St. Patrcks’ Church reaches skyward with accentuated holiness. Far in the distance stands the hot smoke stalk of the Encina Power Plant like the tip of an iceberg above the smoldering components of a tired machine.

Directional lines and patchy colors create a composition which represents a map for the viewer’s eye. The focus is on the piece as a whole as well as the individual components. Shapes might be positioned where they seem as if they sit nervously on a loaded spring, able to leap off the canvas or out of a page at any moment. This kinetic rue animates stagnant shapes through juxtapositions of its surroundings. The direction of lines have a similar effect where a series of flowing marks can create a sense of motion like the steel track of the Surfliner. The viewers eyes might ride the lines across a figure’s back or over the green hills of the French countryside, finding the edge of a canvas and ultimately falling onto the paint splattered wood planks of the floor below. Along with pulsating shapes and guiding lines, colors campaign for dominance of a canvas or work in unison, harmonizing a well balanced visual experience. When these components work as a team, the outcome is truly a visual masterpiece.

Though a visual experience can be as sensual as a lover’s massage or as maddening as a nervous breakdown, the eyes are not the only vehicle which guide you through an artistic experience. The cognitive wheels of the mind analyzes what your eyes see. Like reading a magazine, the meanings of arranged shapes and photos on a piece of paper are translated into an understanding. Art is read the same way, but like a young child, you first have to learn the sound each component and combination makes. When this is learned, like a new reader’s found interest in the words of each passing sign, the visual elements and meanings of everyday sights sing to you with unavoidable interest.

Let your eyes take you on a voyage through the above photo. What stands out and where do your eyes end up? How does your mind interpret the three landmarks?