Pennsylvania artist Barbara Kacicek favors a few subjects to which she returns frequently. One is small still life subjects, particularly pears, plums and smooth river stones. Another is compositions of clouds, often mounded and towering cumulus clouds.
To these she adds drawings that veer away from realism into “Imaginary Realism”, done with smooth tones of charcoal on bristol board.
Her still life paintings, though brought to a fairly high level of finish, are painted alla prima, in oil on canvas mounted on panels. She finds compositional focus in the textural surfaces of her subjects as well as their subtle colors.
I particularly enjoy her series of “31 Meditations on Three Plums“, in which she approaches the same basic subject repeatedly on small canvas (6×6 inches), with variations on composition of the plums against a striped cloth background in a variety of lighting choices.
When viewing her website, note that there are additional works in the Archive section. There is also a section of oil pastels, in which she explores the cloud theme, but with the different textural effect afforded by the medium. Kacicek also features her charcoal drawings on a separate site.
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3 responses to “Barbara Kacicek”
Plums never looked so lovely!
It’s such a pleasure when an artist or poet or writer sees a everyday thing and lifts it up for us to see anew. I’m reminded, by the lovely plum series of Jos van Riswick, and also of poet Elaine Sexton, who re-imagines for us all buttons, stones–or eggs. (For an example, see http://rainingacorns.blogspot.com/2010/03/100-poem-by-elaine-sexton.html)
The lady is so talented!