North Wind Opening Spread 

Editor: Here we have "North Wind Opening Spread" by Scott Gustafson, created with watercolor and colored pencil. The moment I saw it, I felt transported. It’s like stepping into a storybook – a blend of coziness and, dare I say, a bit of looming danger? I am intrigued by its narrative aspect. What stories do you imagine as you observe this piece? Curator: Stories? Oh, the tapestry of tales woven within this frame! Look at the dance between the mundane and the magical. We've got a humble cottage juxtaposed with the ethereal form of the North Wind himself, practically breathing down the chimney. It evokes, for me, those delicious childhood anxieties, doesn't it? Knowing the rules, pushing against them. Has our young protagonist perhaps made a deal with the wind? Or maybe *borrowed* something he shouldn’t have? Editor: A deal with the wind…I hadn't considered that. So, is it the juxtaposition between childhood innocence and the formidable force of nature that defines this artwork for you? Curator: In part, yes. The scale is deliberate – that tiny house, the towering figure. The mastery of watercolor adds to the dreamlike quality, that sense of a world slightly askew from our own. But it is about more than just scale. The composition directs the gaze toward this building, whose significance remains delightfully elusive to those watching. Who could reside there? Is this location one of joy, or peril? Editor: It makes you wonder about what will come next for this brave, yet naive, character. I love the idea that it is about innocence, courage, and the unknown that lurks just around the corner. Curator: Exactly! And isn’t it wonderful how a single image can conjure such a universe of possibilities? Maybe that is the real magic trick of it all.