J Susan Aitken
Feb 8, 20182 min
Frogoyle: Escape from Washington Cathedral (18 x 24", oil on canvas) has just hopped off the easel. Fun for me was the frogoyle, inspired by a gargoyle who is normally firmly attached to the Washington Cathedral. Obviously, he is amazed to find himself in the U.S. Botanic Garden instead. Or in my own little pond - whichever! Reminiscent of the statue in Tranquil Garden, Frogoyle explores the idea of sculpture as just a part of a stained glass composition. Plans are already in place to do more of these - using other gargoyles!
If you will recall from the last post, there was a painting to be named. I had several really good suggestions - Bowing for Christ, Colorful Swirl, Swirls, Madurai Morning, Fiddlehead. Truth be told, I like all of them! I know now what to do when I am stuck for a title! I think I am going with Fiddlehead. When I first read fiddlehead, I immediately thought of the scroll carved end of a violin, or fiddle - which I thought really fitting to the design. Apparently, though, a fiddlehead is the furled frond of a young fern, harvested for use as a vegetable (see photo by Emily B. Sessa). Another definition is the scroll-like carving at a ship's bow. I like all those applications - the end of a fiddle (swirls of music); the botanic fern frond; and the nautical (swirls being waves). It is unusual that a painting title has so many ways to look at it, so Fiddlehead, submitted by Jeanne, earned my final vote. My sincere thanks to those of you who gave suggestions!