Wild Onions Online

A journal of creative writing, photography, and visual art created by members of the entire Penn State College of Medicine and Hershey Medical Center community

Julie Orris – Eye Contact

by

Judge’s Choice for Art –
Staff and Family Members Category

Judge’s Comments: This is a wonderfully executed watercolor! Watercolor is a challenging media to accurately master, and within the work shown here we see excellent treatment of the modeling of skin tone and surface, including the five-o-clock-shadow of the man’s jaw, the ripples and wrinkles of the collared shirt and romper, the sparse soft hair of the infant and the slightly receding thick mane of the man. The painting harkens to a masculine version of Mary Cassatt in Norman Rockwell style. The high contrast of the well-lit figures against the dark background leaves nothing to distract from the pure enjoyment of the work, focusing attention on the tender gaze shared between the two figures: so familiar with one another, glad to have been reunited. The delightful joy of a content child, reaching out to explore the rapt attention of an adult in adoration of sweetness embodied, can’t help but bring a smile to the observer’s face as well.

Eye Contact
© Julie Orris, MOA | Camp Hill—Family Health
Judge’s Choice for Art – Staff and Family Members Category

Judge’s Comments:
This is a wonderfully executed watercolor! Watercolor is a challenging media to accurately master, and within the work shown here we see excellent treatment of the modeling of skin tone and surface, including the five-o-clock-shadow of the man’s jaw, the ripples and wrinkles of the collared shirt and romper, the sparse soft hair of the infant and the slightly receding thick mane of the man. The painting harkens to a masculine version of Mary Cassatt in Norman Rockwell style. The high contrast of the well-lit figures against the dark background leaves nothing to distract from the pure enjoyment of the work, focusing attention on the tender gaze shared between the two figures: so familiar with one another, glad to have been reunited. The delightful joy of a content child, reaching out to explore the rapt attention of an adult in adoration of sweetness embodied, can’t help but bring a smile to the observer’s face as well.

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