Santa’s Treat 

Scott Gustafson created this painting, Santa’s Treat, using traditional painting techniques. Immediately, one notices how the artist arranges the figures of Santa and his reindeer in a harmonious composition with a limited colour palette. The warm browns and reds of the figures contrast against the cool blue and white backdrop of snow-laden trees. Gustafson masterfully employs chiaroscuro, using light and shadow to add depth and texture to the figures. This draws our attention to the material reality of the scene, underscoring its emotional core. The painting employs a structural technique of mirroring to balance the composition. This visual symmetry contributes to a sense of harmony and order. The careful arrangement of forms is not merely aesthetic; it's a semiotic strategy, a system of visual signs. This system evokes not only a charming scene but also prompts us to question the broader narratives and cultural codes embedded within the imagery. The painting challenges our fixed notions and engages us in thinking about the structural underpinnings of our perception.