In order to encourage our users to explore the Favorites feature and promote the curatorial aspect it brings to the site, we thought we would try out something we’re tentatively calling “Favorites Themes”. The idea is to present a theme to the Baker Artist Awards community and challenge site visitors to curate a virtual exhibit based on that theme. Our first theme invited users to select and Favorite artwork that relates, revolves around, or incorporated the idea or concept of “metaphor” in some way. This was a challenging theme to work with, and we were very impressed with Carol McGraw’s collection. Selecting work that she interpreted as metaphors for “life from conception and birth through death and return to the earth”, her Favorites collection includes a staggering 31 pieces. We invited Carol to tell us a little more about the artwork in her collection and explain some of her choices:
“My metaphor collection follows the major calamities of life: conception, birth and infancy, childhood, the teen years, searching for oneself, how the world affects us and we affect it, the struggle between trying to be accepted and acknowledged by others vs. being true to ourselves, the fears that make things fall apart, the suddenness of death, remembrance, becoming one with the earth again and time going on to its regular beat.”
"awe, delight and terror", by Magnolia Laurie
“Magnolia Laurie’s painting, “awe, delight and terror”, seemed like a perfect metaphor for infancy. The title sums up what babies must be feeling as they are thrown into unfamiliar surroundings. The painting depicts a sparse muted terrain highlighted with undecipherable landmarks, both light and dark. Such could be a baby’s view of its new landscape, the nursery.”
“Contained and Controlled” and “Reconfigured”, by Steven Pearson
“I included Steven Pearson’s two paintings, “Contained and Controlled” and “Reconfigured” to contrast being a child to being a teenager. In “Contained and Controlled”, he uses muted colors and smaller shapes. The main energy is dominated and reined in by linear elements as children feel stifled and confined by adults. The colors in “Reconfigured” are brasher, the shapes are bolder and the lines dare to create a sexual language rather than repress it. This painting is an apt metaphor for the teen-age years of change and pushing boundaries.”
"the succession of steps", by Greg Minah
“Our road through adulthood is symbolized in Greg Minah’s “the succession of steps”. Life is circuitous and ever-changing, as is this painting with its oval shapes of squiggly energy and multiple layers of color. When I was young, I thought life was a straight line to a place called “happy”. There, you had everything you wanted and needed, you were succeeding and you were fulfilled. What a shock when I realized that was not true.”
"Suburban Typologies", by Eleni Giorgos
“The line-up of lamp posts in Eleni Giorgos’ “Suburban Typologies” series stands for how things go wrong when we try too hard to fit in with the crowd rather than be ourselves. The rhythm of the lamps is too perfect in a creepy, Stepford way. The ominous feeling is helped by the black and white coloring. One poor lamp post just can’t take it anymore. Haven’t we all been that lamp post at times?”
"Don’t Walk!", by Amanda Burnham
“Amanda Burnham’s stoplight piece with the bright orange hand indicating, “Don’t Walk!” is my metaphor for death. We are conditioned to stop at this signal, or even run to the other side. Death can be arresting and confusing. So is this painting. The orange hand is authoritative while, next to the stoplight, the street sign is illegible. The painting itself feels as it is in a blurry, otherworldly dimension. It is for each person to decide for themself what dimension this is, if any.”
“I love curating favorite shows from this website as there are so many intriguing works at my fingertips. It’s a wonderful feature!”
Thanks Carol!
We’ve added Carol’s metaphor themed Favorites to the Curators Picks page, be sure to check out her inspired and extensive collection!
Curator Favorites: Metaphor Theme by Carol McGraw
In order to encourage our users to explore the Favorites feature and promote the curatorial aspect it brings to the site, we thought we would try out something we’re tentatively calling “Favorites Themes”. The idea is to present a theme to the Baker Artist Awards community and challenge site visitors to curate a virtual exhibit based on that theme. Our first theme invited users to select and Favorite artwork that relates, revolves around, or incorporated the idea or concept of “metaphor” in some way. This was a challenging theme to work with, and we were very impressed with Carol McGraw’s collection. Selecting work that she interpreted as metaphors for “life from conception and birth through death and return to the earth”, her Favorites collection includes a staggering 31 pieces. We invited Carol to tell us a little more about the artwork in her collection and explain some of her choices:
“My metaphor collection follows the major calamities of life: conception, birth and infancy, childhood, the teen years, searching for oneself, how the world affects us and we affect it, the struggle between trying to be accepted and acknowledged by others vs. being true to ourselves, the fears that make things fall apart, the suddenness of death, remembrance, becoming one with the earth again and time going on to its regular beat.”
"awe, delight and terror", by Magnolia Laurie
“Magnolia Laurie’s painting, “awe, delight and terror”, seemed like a perfect metaphor for infancy. The title sums up what babies must be feeling as they are thrown into unfamiliar surroundings. The painting depicts a sparse muted terrain highlighted with undecipherable landmarks, both light and dark. Such could be a baby’s view of its new landscape, the nursery.”
“Contained and Controlled” and “Reconfigured”, by Steven Pearson
“I included Steven Pearson’s two paintings, “Contained and Controlled” and “Reconfigured” to contrast being a child to being a teenager. In “Contained and Controlled”, he uses muted colors and smaller shapes. The main energy is dominated and reined in by linear elements as children feel stifled and confined by adults. The colors in “Reconfigured” are brasher, the shapes are bolder and the lines dare to create a sexual language rather than repress it. This painting is an apt metaphor for the teen-age years of change and pushing boundaries.”
"the succession of steps", by Greg Minah
“Our road through adulthood is symbolized in Greg Minah’s “the succession of steps”. Life is circuitous and ever-changing, as is this painting with its oval shapes of squiggly energy and multiple layers of color. When I was young, I thought life was a straight line to a place called “happy”. There, you had everything you wanted and needed, you were succeeding and you were fulfilled. What a shock when I realized that was not true.”
"Suburban Typologies", by Eleni Giorgos
“The line-up of lamp posts in Eleni Giorgos’ “Suburban Typologies” series stands for how things go wrong when we try too hard to fit in with the crowd rather than be ourselves. The rhythm of the lamps is too perfect in a creepy, Stepford way. The ominous feeling is helped by the black and white coloring. One poor lamp post just can’t take it anymore. Haven’t we all been that lamp post at times?”
"Don’t Walk!", by Amanda Burnham
“Amanda Burnham’s stoplight piece with the bright orange hand indicating, “Don’t Walk!” is my metaphor for death. We are conditioned to stop at this signal, or even run to the other side. Death can be arresting and confusing. So is this painting. The orange hand is authoritative while, next to the stoplight, the street sign is illegible. The painting itself feels as it is in a blurry, otherworldly dimension. It is for each person to decide for themself what dimension this is, if any.”
“I love curating favorite shows from this website as there are so many intriguing works at my fingertips. It’s a wonderful feature!”
Thanks Carol!
We’ve added Carol’s metaphor themed Favorites to the Curators Picks page, be sure to check out her inspired and extensive collection!
~For more Curator Favorites Themes, click here~