Dories, Gloucester

Dories, Gloucester
Nell Blaine
1963

I would never dare call myself an art critic. I have neither the knowledge of nor the talent for visual art, yet I am an avid admirer of any form of creative expression. The painting above is Dories, Gloucester by Nell Blaine from 1963. I was initially attracted to this painting by it's abstract quality. It is almost as if, if one were to glance nonchalantly, one would miss it. It is only upon closer concentration that one notices the striking colors and meticulously detailed background images, which to me look like faces, watching the dories upon the water. I feel Blaine's use of bold color signifies  movement and life.

If I were to write a poem using this painting as my muse, I would feel compelled and inspired to comment upon the beautiful moments of stationary reflection I feel this painting embodies. The faces I see in the background on the other side of the lake, have their eyes fixed upon the action on the water, signifying the moments in life in which one is forcably inactive in a situation and is reflective upon that which is out of control. The water in this painting serves to represent a power that is unstoppable, but still provides the one of the most beautifully humbling gifts of nature. The water is life itself. The tone of this painting speaks to me as one of positive and pensive reflection.