The Appeal of Distant Vistas
I’m currently part of a two-person show at a local performing arts center. Called “Visions and Vistas,” I mostly selected quilts depicting Florida vegetation for it. But, at the 11th hour, I added this quilt, Mountain Meadows.
Click any image for a larger view.
As the only piece with a distant view, I was afraid it might not look right with the rest of the pieces. Happily, I was wrong, since the colors and composition relate well to the other quilts.
Still, I wasn’t expecting it to be so popular with the viewers! Many of them said it was their favorite piece, and nearly all of them identified it as looking like some place they’d been. (Although none of them mentioned the location that actually inspired it.)
Clearly there was some sort of universal recognition of this sort of vista. Which made it much more personal for the viewers, and therefore (I think) affected how much they enjoyed it. Interesting.
Maybe there are other vistas or subjects that would strike a similar chord with viewers. Not that I would necessarily choose subjects because of that, but it’s definitely got me thinking.
Ellen Lindner
P.S. You can see most of my exhibit pieces here.
