Sava Swirls Analysis

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Sava Swirls by Leslie Cheney-Parr (2016)- Watercolor Cheney-Parr uses lines and a texture-less media, along with other elements such as color, space, spatial cues, proportions, and repetitive shapes to inspire endless motion within her landscape and creates a swirling image the viewer cannot stop moving their eyes throughout when viewing from any angle. The media employed by the artist, watercolor, contributes to the movement of the painting. It establishes a smooth, soft surface with no texture, and in turn, causes no disruptions when the eye traces the swirling motions throughout the paper. As the viewer approaches the landscape called Sava Swirls, a compilation of similar, curved lines, starting from the upper right hand corner and …show more content…

For example, in what appear to be water flowers, a lemon chiffon is placed behind a harvest gold and then an amber/honey-yellow to create the illusion of depth within the object. These harmonious yellows come in stark contrast with the greens nestled below them. Additionally, spatial cues aid in the development of depth and dimension within the painting. For instance, the repetition of diamonds and triangular shapes displayed within the yellows, greens, and pinks of the painting, vary in size. As the shapes move higher on the paper, they progressively grow smaller, creating the illusion of depth, as if they are receding in space. Moreover, Cheney-Parr strategically places identifiable objects, traditionally known as large, near the top of the watercolor making them appear far away, adding incredible depth to the piece. When these traditionally large objects, such as a house or a tree, are compared to the traditionally smaller objects in the lower portion of the paper, they repeatedly appear in smaller proportions, thus emphasizing how the objects in the lower plane are closer to the viewer and objects in the higher plane are further away from the