Love & Rockets 

Carrie Graber created this alluring, contemporary painting, likely with layers of oil paint on canvas. The light source in Love & Rockets gives a distinctive mood. The light casts shadows that emphasize forms, adding depth to the composition. The sheen of the silk dress, the glass vase and wine glass, the shine of the high heels, all contribute to the painting’s feeling of luxury. The labor is not on display, but rather concealed beneath layers of artifice. There is the labor of the unseen woman, the labor of manufacturing all the objects that surround her, and also the labor of the artist, whose hand has created this scene. By drawing attention to the way this image is constructed, Graber subtly reminds us that even the most apparently effortless images are, in fact, the products of considerable work and creative intention. So, as you contemplate this image, consider the many hands and processes that have contributed to its creation.