Carolyn Lathan's Museum Visit

I visited the Arlington Museum of Art and after walking through the gallery and viewing all the paintings; I focused on and selected a painting by Carol A. Simmons called “Hope”. Hope, mosaic # 6, is from her Abstract Collection and was one of my favorite paintings in the gallery. Carol A. Simmons is a local artist who lives in the area. She uses several mediums for painting, but for her Abstract selection, she used acrylics. Acrylic is fast -drying and when diluted with water it becomes water-resistant as it dries. I would guess that this painting looks as it did when she originally painted it. It appeared to be vivid in color and not dull at all. I’m not sure how long it has been displayed in the museum, but it really looked well preserved. The artist used curved lines to outline the females face, head, and shoulders. Horizontal and vertical lines were used as well to put emphasis on the background of the painting. As far as shape, the lines and dimensions in her face shows to be strong and proud. The light used in the painting, in my opinion is implied through an artificial source. The shadows and lighting created in this painting are done with the use of color.
The colors Ms. Simmons used in the foreground were primarily black and turquoise with yellow, brown, and orange to accent specific features of the face. In the background, the artist used warm colors such as, rust, green, and light and dark shades of orange. The actual texture in this painting is smooth, but the implied texture is rough like a brick wall. I imagine the female is in this painting is focusing on something beautiful or comforting. She has this smile that is mesmerizing and whatever she is focusing on is definitely bringing her peace and joy. The background is of a brick wall but the colors Ms. Simmons used in the foreground of the painting make you focus on the lady and not the dreary old brick wall in the background. The colors she used really accent each other and I don’t think you would find them on the same color wheel. The repetitious element used in the painting is the use of a mosaic pattern throughout the painting. Mosaic is an art form, which involves fitting small pieces of rock, shell, tile, or glass together to create a pattern, which may be abstract or representational. I also think the mosaic pattern is the focal point of the painting. It brings a certain quality to the painting that is mesmerizing and draws the viewer’s eyes to the outline and detailed features of the females face. Because Ms. Simmons used acrylic, she had to be very careful with her strokes because acrylic is fast-drying and not forgiving at all. It is very durable, so the painting should last forever. Once it dries, it becomes water resistance and this leaves little room for error. The mosaic patterns make the painting appear shiny and not flat. I think this is a beautiful painting that was painting with meticulous hands.