Emily Pettigrew
Emily has made four poetic paintings on wood for the opening of Hawk and Hive. Through her language of muted color and pared down aesthetic she shows us a new version of our local landscape. The paintings were made in and around Delhi NY in 2020 and 2021 and take the viewer on a journey from crisp winter snow to a magical meadow of luminous flowers. Here is Pettigrew speaking about her work:
"Over Hill and Dale" depicts the lights of the village of Delhi from above. The viewpoint I wanted to evoke was that of an outsider - a mountain traveller pausing before a descent into civilization. The captured moment is one of expectation and unease - are the lights a welcoming respite from the woods or ominous, like will-o'-the-wisps in the dark?
"Dark Meadow" was also painted of Delhi and is intended to contain a similar tension between beauty and unease. The field of forget-me-nots and buttercups is pleasant and attractive whilst also eliciting a feeling of primal mystery in its deep shadows.
"Blue Pastoral" is set in a field in Cooperstown which sits at the entrance to a path to Clark Tower. This strange folly was built in a medieval Irish style by the heir of the singer sewing machine fortune near the location of his estate in the 19th century. This painting is intended to capture the sharp stillness of fields in winter, and the immutability of the rural landscape through time.
Recently added: "Window at White Silver Springs" & "Kitchen Window"