Click the image above to view the Exhibition Catalogue
Nature’s Narrative delves into the intricate connection between Earth and humanity, examining this relationship through the lens of nature in Shakespeare.
This collection of nature-themed wax paintings embodies my passion for the beauty of nature, specifically regarding its geometry, patterns, colors, and textures in geological formations and the forest understory. Delving into deeper artistic exploration of these elements, I showcase the parallels between nature and humanity’s commonplace stories of transformation, endurance, and community.
Ever since childhood, nature has been my sanctuary, where I catch my breath and meditate on
the spiritual bond I experience when I’m totally immersed in its beauty. There I witness firsthand nature’s narrative seen in the delicate ecosystem of a forest and in the flowing, bending, distorted, and ragged formations of rock that are visible above and below the Earth’s surface. In this collection, these ancient stories of life and regeneration are reimagined, inspiring the viewer to take on a new way of thinking, seeing, and interpreting our planet—not merely as an inanimate object, but as a living entity who shares our collective chronicles of life.
William Shakespeare, the greatest storyteller of all time, also shared his admiration of nature in many of his works. For this collection, I drew inspiration from Shakespeare’s plays, especially A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in which he gives life to the natural world and personifies Nature within the characters’ lines, making it as much of its own character as the ones that appear onstage.
The Process
Like the formation of Earth itself, these paintings are created with multiple layers of materials. Encaustic paint, acrylics and oils mixed with cold wax, as well as alcohol inks, wax pencils, and chalk paint are all applied to a wood substrate and carefully layered. Then, they are fused with heat and scraped back repeatedly to reveal the intended visual texture and my vision.
Encaustic paint is a combination of beeswax, damar resin, and pigment that gives my paintings dramatic texture, vivid color, and a luminescent quality. I also added cold wax mixed with oils and acylics for another layer of complexity. Cold wax allows me to create a more defined quality to aspects of the painting that basic encaustic paint cannot easily provide. (To view a video showing my encaustic painting process, click HERE).
My art depicts the fragility of our planet and relays the message that by healing the environment, we heal ourselves. It explores the powerful, fundamental need – mental, spiritual, and physical – human beings share for the natural world, and how reconnecting with nature can give a broader sense of community and of life itself.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about a particular piece. Please contact The Byrne Gallery directly for all purchase inquiries during the exhibition dates.
The collection will be exhibition at the Byrne Gallery from April 3 – 28, 2024.
The reception is scheduled for Saturday, April 13, 4-7 pm. The Artist Talk is scheduled for Saturday, April 20, 2 pm.
The Byrne Gallery is located at 7 West Washington Street in Middleburg, Virginia. Gallery hours are Monday and Tuesday by appointment only, Wednesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Contact the Byrne Gallery for more information at (540) 687-6986 and byrnegallery@aol.com.
If you would like to see more of my work go to https://www.annestine.com. I send out a “Collectors Alert” email once a month announcing newly available artwork. You can sign up HERE to join this list.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
