Lex Miller

LBST 1105H
Mrs. Hicks
September 26, 2014

Last Friday, our class ventured downtown to ImaginOn and the UNC
Charlotte Center City Building of Architecture. Within the building was a
small art gallery. The gallery was illuminated by natural sunlight from the
far sidewall that was all glass windows. The walls were white and the floors
were hardwood. Each piece was evenly spaced out both on the walls
encircling the gallery and on the dividers within the gallery. While the
majority of the gallery was filled with canvases, there were two ceramic pots
also on display. The gallery was filled with the works of three artists
specializing in abstract work.
The piece(s) that I would choose to take home with me and purchase
are the Ocean Series works. The series consists of four distinct canvases
titled: Splash, Sails, Waves, and Cascade. The artist of these works is Marge
Loudon Moody. I believe I was drawn to this collection because compared
to all the other pieces in the gallery, they are quite small and simple, and
probably frequently overlooked. Something I can understand and appreciate.
I would choose to buy all of them instead of just one because I feel that they
cannot have the same affect aesthetically or uniformly if I were to purchase
just one. I find cool colors very relaxing and mellow. All four canvases
contain various shades of blue mixed with greens, whites, and blacks.
Occasionally, the viewer can see a streak of bright yellow, pink, and orange.
I dont find these works loud or demanding attention, I see them as
soothing and a bit of serenity. Also, I really appreciate the hints and flecks of
bright color within the pieces; for some reason it makes me think of the
phrase everything has a silver lining, making me love it even more.
Because of these small flashes of color, I believe this collection would blend
well in any house with any color scheme, a very important thing to consider
when buying expensive art for a home. Although I dont necessarily like
being in the ocean, I do love the sounds of the ocean and the creatures within
the ocean as well as how beautiful it is. For these reasons, I believe I would
enjoy looking at these pieces everyday because they invoke a sense of calm,
which I certainly need. Also, the composition of these pieces are small and
simple, yet adequately represent hundred of thousands of miles of ocean in
such small canvases.

I believe the artist chose to do four separate canvases instead of one

large painting because there are many different personalities of the ocean
and its capability of doing many different things. For example, cascades are
much louder, more powerful, and faster than waves. Splashes are quick and
simple yet can produce a loud sound. Waves are calm yet change rhythm
frequently. And sails depend on the waves beneath while taking on the
motion of the waves and ocean. Since the dawn of time, the ocean has been a
reliable source of comfort for people. When filtered, it aids in food
production, and is necessary for life. It has helped people travel the world
and explore, as well as transportation of goods and exchange. People have
made medicinal remedies from materials in the ocean, and found food from
the ocean. The ocean has always provided humans with resources and help.
There is no language barrier with the ocean, everyone knows what it is and
everyone is similar with it. It is what binds us all together. The ocean is a
universal symbol. Which is precisely why this collection fit perfectly with
the theme of the gallery exhibit which was impressions from travel or the
haunts of universal symbols- transforming these afterimages into brilliant
gestures of vibrant color and subtle markings. The ocean is essentially the
center of every culture if you dig deep enough. The most populated areas of
any country are the areas closest to a body of water. Because of it being a
universal symbol, I feel as though anyone from any culture can appreciate
this collection of art due to it not pertaining to any specific culture or
custom. The ocean is a universal language.
On an even deeper note, the ocean is much like art. The ocean has
been studied and taught for hundreds of years, much like art. The ocean is
thoroughly explored for fun and adventure. Also, it is extremely deep and
for that reason, humans have been unable to uncover its entirety. Art can be
vague and unclear just like the ocean. People can see different things in the
ocean much like how they can interpret art in a variety of different
perspectives. Art can be loud and draw attention to itself or it can be calm
and soothing.