Happy Eyes

“Happy the eyes that can close.” --from Cry the Beloved Country

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Do you want to ride in my beautiful balloon?

Anyone who bothers to read the BYU Magazine (alumni mag) saw the article about the Christensen family. I guess James Christensen is a well-known artist and he has two daughters who are now successful artists themselves. I'm not an art connisseur, but I know what I like, and I really like his younger daughter, Emily McPhie's, work. I checked her out online and called the gallery that represents her. The one piece I found online was a canvas miniature and $175, which I don't think is bad for an original piece of art. So when I spoke to the guy at the gallery I was told that all of her pieces have sold except for one that I wasn't interested in. I asked how much the painting they have available is being sold for...$2200. Hellooooooo?! Oh well. So much for that pipe-dream. Maybe someday when she's been famous and renouned forever they'll start making posters of her work and I can buy one then...

She mostly paints women and children and as a daughter, a sister, an aunt and a mom, i find these paintings so pleasant. The other artist i love is Graciela Boulanger. She also paints children, so I guess that's a common theme I'm drawn to. Their art is very different, though, in that Boulanger is more boisterous in the action(s) of her subjects and colors. McPhie is mellower and maybe more classic in appearance.

Here are a few of Emily McPhie's paintings that I like best...








This one is by far my favorite. It's called "Buena Vista." The little girls in the balloon remind me of me and my sister. I'm dark, she's blonde. If we were ever given the same thing by our parents for Christmas, mine was red, hers was blue. While she's older, I'm taller. We're quite opposite and there was a time that, if we had to sail in a balloon together, we probably would have killed each other. But now, we would fly and enjoy the ride, the beauty around us and each other's company...

7 comments:

Corinne said...

I love the art! Thanks for passing those on. Maybe I'll be able to afford some, some day!

Jenni said...

James Christensen has long been a favorite of mine. I used to be a janitor in the BYU art museum and I totally coveted the original Christensens hanging all over the curator and administrators offices. (At least I got to look at them while I vacuumed:)) I hadn't even heard of his daughters but what great artists they are - thanks for sharing!! :)

ashlee said...

Jenni--I actually thought to myself that you would most certainly know who James Christensen is as i wrote this post. I didn't know you were so close, though! I looked him up after I posted this and absolutely recognized him, just didn't know his name (LOVE "the responsible woman!")

Kellie said...

So unique-I love the crackled effect, as if the paintings are older than they are. The mood and tone are soothing, but not boring.

Cami said...

Those are beautiful! It's funny, because I saw the art first and said, "hmmmm . . . that sort of looks like James Christensen's style." Ha! Jake's dad took classes from him in college and did some work for him, for which he was paid in art. So Jake's family has some original James Christensens, but never quite knows what to do with them. Jake wants to sell them and get the money, so they said they'll never leave them to us.

Jenni said...

Ooh Ooh Ashlee, the Responsible Woman is my favorite too!! I totally have that print - I've been meening to frame it and put it up in our house!! :)

erin said...

yes, and notice how the blonde one is also CHUBBIER!! HAHA!!!!!! love to read your blog. (and love you)