Tea time 

Curator: Here we have David Burliuk’s “Tea Time,” a delightful mixed-media painting that offers a snapshot of a cozy gathering. Editor: It makes me think of lazy summer afternoons. There’s something so charmingly imperfect about it – almost childlike in its simplicity, like a memory painted onto the canvas. Curator: Burliuk had a distinctive way of capturing scenes; he merges the use of oil paint with watercolor to describe what looks like a familial tea party. Look closely at the composition. How does it strike you? Editor: The colors are striking but, raw. There’s this fascinating push and pull between the figures clustered around the table, all very human-like, and the flattened perspective, as if they were sitting around a miniature toy house. The color, however, pulls the whole composition together by establishing a feeling of earthiness, comfort. Curator: It’s the synthesis of seemingly unrelated styles—landscape with group portraiture—that grants this piece its character, don't you think? The naive rendering certainly softens the whole view. What are some other features of this landscape that you like? Editor: I love the little, almost abstract figures dotting the landscape, the fowl creatures down front, but most intriguing of all might be that green horse, so still by the window, gazing at all of them enjoying teatime. What a quirky, enigmatic detail, adding a touch of folk tale and dream! Curator: Burliuk indeed wasn’t afraid of incorporating elements from folklore or his own imagination into his landscapes and portraiture. "Tea Time," in this way, reflects Burliuk’s desire to celebrate simplicity, inviting viewers to participate in the most banal, domestic tableaus of daily living. It seems almost utopian in its design, doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely. It's that directness that gives it such a poignant feel. It feels vulnerable, personal, like the scene's inviting you to take a seat to sip tea and stay a while, even with the imperfect surroundings.