Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater 

Curator: Welcome. We are looking at a piece titled "Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater" by Scott Gustafson, rendered with watercolor and coloured pencil. Editor: My first impression is pure whimsy. There is a dreamy quality about it, with those soft, autumnal hues and the playful composition of figures tucked amid the pumpkins. Curator: Yes, it's the clustering and interplay of color here that creates such a distinctive mood. Note how the oranges of the pumpkins both ground the scene and draw the eye upwards. It lends itself to the story-book quality the artist evokes. Editor: And what of that nursery rhyme, "Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater?" Gustafson certainly gives it a unique interpretation, wouldn’t you say? Where the rhyme itself speaks of confining Peter's wife, here she's seemingly embraced, integrated into a magical pumpkin home with other anthropomorphic creatures. Curator: A complete transformation. What was once a dark tale has been rendered as celebratory, yet, looking more closely at the small format, the technique, and its connection to children’s book illustrations, what theoretical models are evoked to explore the formal language of childhood or storytelling here? Editor: This gets into something important about power and representation, even in seemingly benign imagery. The illustration normalizes specific ideas and values. How might, for instance, this cozy domesticity contrast the lived experiences of other children outside of this narrative? It's crucial to reflect upon whose realities are often unheard. Curator: Perhaps, but by the careful control of watercolor washes and use of perspective, Gustafson achieves an amazing depth. Look at the detail he invests in the textures and layers of the foliage and gourds around his central subjects. These subtle, almost academic treatments can be observed and evaluated independently from social considerations. Editor: Still, even beauty has an address. These aesthetic choices tell the tale about who is welcomed into that pumpkin dwelling, and, crucially, who remains outside in the metaphorical cold. The imagery could promote inclusion, instead this fantasy risks reproducing privilege through fantasy. Curator: That said, Gustafson’s technique generates its charm. A curious paradox between the innocent surface, but an ability to stir deeper responses and perhaps challenge conventions of form and visual expectations through materiality. Editor: Yes, by positioning the artwork within an exchange of perspectives allows one to reflect on art’s wider resonance as both aesthetic and cultural dialogue.