Early Visions
1953 - 1972
“Playing was fun but painting was essential”. That is my earliest clear conviction of thought that I can remember since I started painting with watercolors at the age of 3. My guide was my 5 year old Sister and I was driven. I learned later that my great- aunts were noted artists and began serious lessons at age 8 starting with proportions of drawing the human face. I continued trying to learn shading in an effort to make things as realistic as possible while drawing objects from life, like a challenging silver tea-pot.
'Ginna 4 Years Old - Watercolor Painting'
In 1963 I saw a complete retrospective of Van Gogh’s work at the Detroit Institute of Arts. It was a revelation and I had an epiphany at the age of 14. I determined, in my own words I remember thinking at that time, “to learn to paint as realistically as I could so that I could earn the ‘license’ to distort and find my own unique voice in art.”
I am still striving for that goal and enjoying the journey immensely. In the following section of Early Visions are a few of my favorites that have come from this journey - beginning in my teen years as you can see below.
In high school I used to take the bus 25 miles from home to the Detroit Institute of Arts to observe what was considered at that time to be the fifth best art collection in the United States. I studied paintings up close and stood back away, and once brought home a postcard and made a copy of this oil painting by Greuze called ‘Boy with An Apple’. I had begun oil painting when I was 12.
Copy of 'Boy With An Apple' - 1966 - After Greuze - Oil - Framed
Here is an imaginary fantasy oil painting I created in my senior year of high school as an ode to first love.
'Girl with Daisies' - 1966 - Oil
When I was 15 years old, I got to go on a tour of 7 countries in 3 weeks in Europe by motor coach with my parents and sister. The impression of Paris is what I was trying to invoke in the oil painting, which was my first self-guided attempt at learning to use a palette knife for the whole painting.
'Paris Reflections' - 1966 - Oil
After college, in 1971, I had migrated in my Volkswagen van to the mountains of Idaho in Ketchum and Sun Valley. I felt free!!! This pastel is my Self-Portrait with my steadfast companion ‘Red Dog’. He accompanied me everywhere and was more of a soul spirit; not just a dog.
'Self Portrait - Ginna & Red Dog' - 1971 - pastel
'Ginna & Red Dog' - 1972
This 1965 pastel painting was inspired by an e.e. Cummings poem, 'One Winter Afternoon'
‘Peace Parable’ - 1966 - pastel
one winter afternoon
by e.e. cummings
one winter afternoon
(at the magical hour
when is becomes if)
a bespangled clown
standing on eighth street
handed me a flower.
Nobody, it’s safe
to say, observed him but
myself;and why? because
without any doubt he was
whatever(first and last)
mostpeople fear most:
a mystery for which i’ve
no word except alive
–that is,completely alert
and miraculously whole;
with not merely a mind and a heart
but unquestionably a soul–
by no means funereally hilarious
(or otherwise democratic)
but essentially poetic
or ethereally serious:
a fine not a coarse clown
(no mob, but a person)
and while never saying a word
who was anything but dumb;
since the silence of him
self sang like a bird.
Mostpeople have been heard
screaming for international
measures that render hell rational
– i thank heaven somebody’s crazy
enough to give me a daisy
End of 'Special Vision Pieces'
Next: Commissioned Art