Pomona 2021

Mary Jane Ansell's "Pomona" is rendered with oil paint, a medium with a long and storied tradition that stretches back centuries. Looking closely, we can see how Ansell skillfully deploys thin glazes of color, a technique favored by the Old Masters. This method requires patience and control, with each layer building upon the last to create subtle variations in tone and luminosity. It's labor intensive, demanding hours of meticulous work. Ansell uses this labor to create hyperrealism which results in this beautiful work. The choice of oil paint itself is significant. It has long been associated with wealth and status, with the cost of materials and the time required to master the technique placing it beyond the reach of many. In this context, the bird cage becomes a symbol of the work involved in creating the painting. The painting challenges our notions of skill and craft. It also reminds us that there's so much more than meets the eye.