Gate at Rainbow Lake,
Azusa
Robert Winter, 2004 

Acrylic on Stretched Canvas
24" x 36"

Giclee Print:   $550
On Sheet Canvas, Unframed

Framed Original:   Not currently for sale

Artist's Notes

Different people can have different views when they look at this gate about which side the really good stuff is on.   For example, some people may anticipate a grand estate on the other side of a vast, baronial lawn.

In actuality, that lawn is the playground of a public school, and all the more "refined" things are on the near side.  But the literal facts of the situation aren't necessarily what the painting depicts, and the way each of us sees it is probably the most interesting part. 

For those who see the best part on the opposite side, it may simply be a matter of the proverbial grass being greener on the other side of the fence.  Then again, there's something undeniably bright and inviting about the world beyond the confines of the gate.  Is it a matter of being bigger, with more possibilities?  Or does the prospect of going out into this broader world connote the relative appeal of action vs. rest?

Another interpretation I can't seem to shake involves the role that gates and portals of all kinds tend to play in symbolizing transition.  Knowing how various other paintings of mine seem to reflect an ongoing fascination with what lies beyond this life (isn't it odd how figuring out what your art about is similar to interpreting dreams?), I have a sense that what this scene may ultimately reflect is the transition from one realm to another.

Maybe the ambiguity about what's the more appealing side reflects how it might feel to be near the end of a well-lived life. 

© COPYRIGHT 2004 ROBERT WINTER.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.