04 April 2014

House Of Leaves

House Of Leaves
acrylic on 12 stitched canvases
10x10 inches each piece


The title of this piece originates in John Steinbeck's book "East of Eden"  In the latter part of the book, Caleb and Abra meet to talk under a weeping willow tree, and their hideaway is referred to as a "house of leaves".  This phrase gave me a wonderful image of a place apart from the pressures of the world, a restful place where nature soothes the soul.

When I made this work I was feeling very restless and anxious.  I believe that a lot of my artwork comes about through an attempt to balance myself, to "fill in" the bits that are missing, so to speak.  So this work is very calm and inviting, with softly scintillating colour in subtle hues.  When it was finished, I realized I had built my own house of leaves.







3 comments:

P.D. Crumbaker said...

Verna, I think you accomplished what you set out to do. I was very moved by your house of leaves. 'So this work is very calm and inviting, with softly scintillating colour in subtle hues.' Yes, I felt it.

Verna Vogel said...

Thank you P.D. Good to hear from you again.

Barbara Muir said...

I love these, and had a sudden clear image of the old apple tree at our summer school house. If we go out for a month, at the end of the month the tree is filled with green apples, and is shaped like an umbrella. Under we go and talk with the tree around us, escaping the sun, and standing in beauty -- the blue sky filtering through.

Beautiful work.

XOXOXO Barbara