Declaration

I hereby declare my concept is Idolatry. Idolatry is a fancy word for idol. I chose this concept for no particular reason. I asked Kelley what I should do and she told me idols. I thought it was a good concept because it is different from the normal ones.

Mind's Eye Critique

First looking at Brett Gamache’s Two Paths, the viewer’s eye is drawn to the shack in the middle of two paths. The form of the shack is old and broken down contrast the scenery surrounding it. The path on one side of the shed leads the eye pass the shack and towards lovely greens of trees and grass. In the distance is a glimpse of mountains and bright blue sky. On the other side of the shack is a shady path. As the viewer’s eye follows this path it leads into a woodsy area and the viewer could wonder where does this endless path lead?
Two Paths is a realist depiction of this nature with impressionist strokes and the viewer can assume that this painting was painted “en plein air”. The colors are mostly nature colors, greens and browns, and cool colors, blues. The Value of Two Paths is mostly bright, sunny, and natural lights, with trees creating shade. When looking it the painting, many different narratives come to mind. One narrative that comes to mind could be go along with Robert Frost’s poem, The Rode Not Taken, “ Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by”. Brett Gamache’s Two Paths sets the viewer into a tranquil state and transports them to a majestic scenery.

"The Adoration of the Golden Calf"

In Nicolas Poussin’s painting, The Adoration of the Golden Calf', the viewer can immediately distinguish the focal point, the Golden Calf. The eye is drawn towards the cow that is on flat form. There are people dancing around the cow or gesturing towards it. The sky’s color contrast the bright gold-ness of the cow, which makes that cow jump out to the viewer. The painting is very realistic and the viewer cannot see any brush strokes.
The even distribution of blue, red and orange throughout the painting helps to unify the composition. The people dancing in a circle give the viewer the allusion of rhythm. Everyone in painting is moving, no one is standing still, not even the cow. The mountains in the background have realistic texture. The painting is balance with mountains in the background and the cow in the middle of two trees similar in size. Off in the distance the viewer can see a person holding what resembles a writing tablet ready to throw it. There is a chiaroscuro feeling towards the painting. The foreground has many bright and vivid colors which have a dramatic contrast to the dark background. A narrative that comes to mind would a village gathering around to worship the golden calf.